EDWARD  S.  ELL  15 


mm  mm 


: 


"  :'  fe,  '     • 


"  They  had  come  a  goodly  distance  since  morning." 


NORTHWEST  SERIES,  No.  3 


Two  BOYS  IN  WYOMING 

A  TALE  OF  ADVENTURE 


BY 


EDWARD    S.  ELLIS 

AUTHOR  OF  "  DEERFOOT  SERIES,"  "  LOG  CABIN  SERIES,"  ETC. 


PHILADELPHIA 

HENRY  T.   COATES  &    CO. 

1898 


tO 


COPYRIGHT,  1898,  BY 
HENRY  T.  COATES  &  CO. 


h>  A  /  U 
CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.   JACK  AND  FRED, 1 

II.   HIDING  NORTHWARD, 24 

III.  ON  GUARD, 44 

IV.  VISITORS  OF  THE  NIGHT, •  59 

V.    "Now  FOR  THE  KANCH," 78 

VI.   AT  THE  EANCH,     97 

VII.   THE  FIRST  GAME, 116 

VIII.   LOOK  BEFORE  You  LEAP, 134 

IX.   NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS, 153 

X.   THE  SIGNAL-FIRES, 171 

XI.   A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST,     190 

XII.   THE  TUG  OF  WAR, 209 

XIII.  A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE, 228 

XIV.  MISSING, 246 

XV.   TOZER, 263 

(iii) 


iv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XVI.   WATCHING  AND  WATCHED, 284 

XVII.   INTO  AND  OUT  OP  THE  CANYON, 303 

XVIII.  THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN, 324 

XIX.   INTO  THE  CAVERN, 343 

XX.   A  CLIMB  FOR  LIBERTY, 362 

XXL     How  IT  ALL  ENDED, 381 


TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  I. 

JACK    AND    FRED. 

YOU  should  have  seen  those  youths,  for  it 
gives  me  pleasure  to  say  that  two  man 
lier,  more  plucky  and  upright  boys  it  would 
be  hard  to  find  anywhere  in  this  broad  land 
of  ours.  I  have  set  out  to  tell  you  about 
their  remarkable  adventures  in  the  grandest 
section  of  the  West,  and,  before  doing  so,  it 
is  necessary  for  you  to  know  something  con 
cerning  the  lads  themselves. 

Jack  Dudley  was  in  his  seventeenth  year. 
His  father  was  a  prosperous  merchant,  who 
intended  his  only  son  for  the  legal  profession. 
Jack  was  bright  and  studious,  and  a  leader  in 
his  class  at  the  Orphion  Academy ;  and  this 
leadership  was  not  confined  to  his  studies,  for 

lie  was  a  fine  athlete  and  an  ardent  lover  of 

i 


BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


outdoor  sports.     If  you  witnessed  the  game 
between  the  eleven  of  the  Orphion  Academy 
and  the  Oakdale  Football  Club,  which  de 
cided  the  championship  by  a  single  point  in 
favor  of  the  former,  you  were  thrilled  by  the 
sight  of  the  half-back,  who,  at  a  critical  point 
in  the  contest,  burst  through  the  group  which 
thronged  about  him,  and,  with  a  clear  field  in 
front,  made  a  superb  run  of  fifty  yards,  never 
pausing  until  he  stooped  behind  the  goal-posts 
and  made  a  touchdown.    Then,  amid  the  cheers 
of  the  delighted  thousands,  he  walked  back  on 
the  field,  and  while  one  of  the  players  lay  down 
on  the  ground,  with  the  spheroid  delicately 
poised  before  his  face,  the  same  youth  who 
made  the  touchdown  smote  the  ball  mightily 
with  his  sturdy  right  foot  and  sent  it  sailing 
between  the  goal-posts  as  accurately  as  an  ar 
row  launched  from  a  bow. 

That  exploit,  as  I  have  said,  won  the  cham 
pionship  for  the  Orphions,  arid  the  boy  who 
did  it  was  Jack  Dudley.  In  the  latter  half 
of  the  game,  almost  precisely  the  same  open 
ing  presented  itself  again  for  the  great  half 
back,  but  he  had  no  more  than  fairly  started 


JACK  AND  FEED.  3 

when  he  met  an  obstruction  in  his  path.  The 
gritty  opponent  tackled  him  like  a  tiger,  and 
down  they  went,  rolling  over  in  the  dirt,  with 
a  fierce  violence  that  made  more  than  one 
timid  spectator  fear  that  both  were  seriously 
injured.  As  if  that  were  not  enough,  the 
converging  players  pounced  upon  them. 
There  was  a  mass  of  struggling,  writhing 
youths,  with  Jack  underneath,  and  all  piling 
on  top  of  him.  The  last  arrival,  seeing  little 
chance  for  effective  work,  took  a  running 
leap,  and,  landing  on  the  apex  of  the  pyra 
mid,  whirling  about  while  in  the  air  so  as 
to  alight  on  his  back,  kicked  up  his  feet 
and  strove  to  made  himself  as  heavy  as  he 
could. 

The  only  object  this  young  man  seemed  to 
have  was  to  batter  down  the  score  of  players 
and  flatten  out  Jack  Dudley,  far  below  at  the 
bottom ;  but  when,  with  the  help  of  the  ref 
eree,  the  mass  was  disentangled,  and  Jack,  with 
his  mop-like  hair,  his  soiled  uniform,  and  his 
grimy  face,  struggled  to  his  feet  and  panting- 
ly  waited  for  the  signal  from  his  captain,  he 
was  just  as  good  as  ever.  It  takes  a  great 


4  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

deal  to  hurt  a  rugged  youth,  who  has  no  bad 
habits  and  is  in  sturdy  training. 

The  active  lad  who  had  downed  Jack  when 
going  at  full  speed,  and  nipped  in  the  bud  his 
brilliant  attempt,  was  Fred  Greenwood,  only 
a  few  months  younger.  He  was  full-back  for 
the  Oakdales  and  their  best  player.  Further 
more,  he  was  the  closest  friend  of  Jack  Dud 
ley.  In  the  game  it  was  war  to  the  knife 
between  them,  but  in  the  very  crisis  of  the 
terrific  struggle  neither  had  a  harsh  thought 
or  a  spark  of  jealousy  of  the  other.  Fred  led 
the  cheering  of  the  opposing  eleven  when 
Jack  kicked  such  a  beautiful  goal,  but  gritted 
his  teeth  and  muttered  : 

"  You  did  well,  my  fine  fellow,  but  just  try 
it  again— that's  all !" 

And  Jack  did  try  it  again,  as  I  have  ex 
plained,  and,  tackling  him  low,  Fred  downed 
him.  While  the  two  were  apparently  suffo 
cating  under  the  mountain,  Fred  spat  out  a 
mouthful  of  dirt  and  said : 

"  I  got  you  that  time,  Jack." 

"  It  has  that  look,  but " 

Jack  meant  to  finish  his  sentence,  but  at 


JACK  AND  FRED.  O 

that  moment  the  mountain  on  top  sagged  for 
ward  and  jammed  his  head  so  deeply  into  the 
earth  that  his  voice  was  too  muffled  to  be 
clear.  Besides,  it  was  not  really  important 
that  the  sentence  should  be  rounded  out,  since 
other  matters  engaged  his  attention.  The  two 
friends  went  through  the  game  without  a 
scratch,  except  that  Jack's  face  was  skinned 
along  the  right  cheek,  one  eye  was  blackened, 
both  legs  were  bruised,  and  half  his  body  was 
black  and  blue,  and  it  was  hard  work  for  him 
to  walk  for  a  week  afterward.  The  condition 
of  Fred,  and  indeed  of  nearly  every  member 
of  the  two  elevens,  was  much  the  same. 

But  what  of  it  ?  Does  a  football-player 
mind  a  little  thing  like  that  ?  Rather  is  he 
not  proud  of  his  scars  and  bruises,  which  at 
test  his  skill  and  devotion  to  his  own  club? 
And  then  Jack  had  the  proud  exultation  of 
knowing  that  it  was  he  who  really  won  the 
championship  for  his  side.  As  for  Fred,  it  is 
true  he  was  disappointed  over  the  loss  of  the 
deciding  game,  but  it  was  by  an  exceedingly 
narrow  margin  ;  and  he  arid  his  fellow-players, 
as  they  had  their  hair  cut  so  as  to  make  them. 


6  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

resemble  civilized  beings,  said,  with  flashing 
eyes  and  a  significant  shake  of  the  head : 

"Wait -till  next  year,  and  things  will  be 
different." 

Fred  Greenwood  was  the  son  of  a  physician 
of  large  practice,  whose  expectation  was  that 
his  son  would  follow  the  same  profession, 
though  the  plans  of  the  parents  were  in  a 
somewhat  hazy  shape,  owing  to  the  youth  ^of 
the  boy.  As  I  have  already  said,  he  and  Jack 
Dudley  had  been  comrades  or  chums  almost 
from  infancy.  They  were  strong,  active,  clear- 
brained  lads,  who  had  not  yet  learned  to  smoke 
cigarettes  or  cigars,  and  gave  no  cause  to  fear 
that  they  would  ever  do  so.  It  is  not  neces 
sary  to  state  that  neither  knew  the  taste  of 
beer  or  alcoholic  drinks,  nor  did  they  wish  to 
learn.  They  understood  too  well  the  baleful 
effects  of  such  indulgences  to  be  in  danger  of 
ruining  their  bodies  and  souls,  as  too  many 
other  youths  are  doing  at  this  very  time. 

Doctor  Greenwood  had  been  the  family 
physician  of  the  Dudleys  for  many  years. 
The  heads  of  the  families  were  college  mates 
at  Harvard,  and  continued  their  intimacy 


JACK  AND  FEED.  7 

after  the  marriage  of  each,  so  that  it  was  quite 
natural  that  their  sons  should  become  fond  of 
each  other.  The  fathers  were  sensible  men, 
and  so  long  as  their  boys'  fondness  for  athletic 
sports  did  not  interfere  with  their  studies  the 
gentlemen  encouraged  them,  and,  when  pos 
sible,  were  present  at  the  contests  between  the 
representatives  of  the  schools. 

When  Jack  Dudley  was  presented  with  a 
shotgun  and  allowed  to  make  an  excursion 
down  the  Jersey  coast  Fred  was  his  compan 
ion,  and  the  two  had  rare  sport  in  shooting 
duck  and  wild  fowl.  They  became  quite  ex 
pert  for  boys,  and  before  the  hunting  season 
set  in  did  considerable  fishing  in  the  surround 
ing  waters,  and  both  learned  to  be  skilful 
swimmers  and  boatmen. 

Mr.  Dudley  was  wealthier  than  his  profes 
sional  friend,  though  the  large  practice  of  the 
physician  placed  him  in  comfortable  circum 
stances.  In  one  of  his  many  business  trans 
actions  Mr.  Dudley  found  that  he  had  to 
choose  between  losing  a  considerable  sum  of 
money  and  accepting  a  half-ownership  in  a 
ranch  in  the  new  State  of  Wyoming.  There 


TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

seemed  little  choice  between  the  two  horns  of 
the  dilemma,  for  he  saw  no  prospect  of  ever 
getting  any  money  out  of  the  Western  land, 
but  he  accepted  the  ownership,  the  other  half 
of  which  was  divided  among  three  gentlemen, 
one  of  whom  lived  in  Cheyenne,  and  the 
others  in  Chicago. 

It  is  perhaps  worth  noting  that  although 
the  fathers  of  Jack  and  Fred  were  great  ad 
mirers  of  athletics,  and,  as  I  have  said,  en 
couraged  the  devotion  to  them  shown  by  their 
sons,  yet  neither  was  inclined  that  way  in  his 
youth. 

"I  never  expected  to  own  a  foot  of  ground 
west  of  the  Mississippi,"  remarked  Mr.  Dud 
ley,  when  making  a  call  upon  the  doctor, 
"and  here,  before  I  fairly  knew  it,  I  have 
become  a  half-owner  in  a  ranch  away  out  in 
Wyoming." 

"  Eventually  it  may  prove  worth  some 
thing,"  suggested  Doctor  Greenwood,  "  for 
that  section  has  enormous  capabilities,  and  a 
tide  of  emigration  has  been  moving  that  way 
for  years." 

"  It  will  take  a  long  time  to  fill  up  that 


JACK  AND  FEED. 


country  with  people.     Meanwhile  I'll  sell  out 
cheap,  doctor,  if  you  feel  like  investing." 

The  physician  laughed  and  thought  the  joke 
was  on  his  friend.  He  said  he  would  think  the 
matter  over,  which  was  another  way  of  saying 
he  would  do  nothing  more  than  think  of  it. 

Jack  and  Fred  were  present  at  this  inter 
view,  and  listened  with  keen  attention  to  the 
discussion  of  the  Western  purchase.  By  and 
by  Fred  gave  his  chum  a  significant  look,  and, 
excusing  themselves  to  their  parents,  they 
passed  out  of  the  room  and  up  stairs  to  the 
sleeping-quarters  of  Fred.  The  door  was 
carefully  closed  behind  them,  and,  drawing 
their  chairs  close  together,  they  talked  in  low 
tones,  as  if  some  dreadful  penalty  would  fol 
low  a  discovery  of  what  was  passing  between 
them.  Had  any  one  been  able  to  see  the  two 
attractive  countenances,  he  would  not  have 
had  to  be  told  that  the  same  thought  was  in 
the  mind  of  each. 

"I  tell  you,  Jack/'  said  Fred,  with  impres 
sive  solemnity,  "it  would  be  a  shame;  it  will 
never  do;  we  must  not  allow  it." 

"Allow  what?" 


10  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Why  you  heard  your  father  say  that  he 
never  expected  to  go  out  to  Wyoming  to  look 
at  that  ranch  he  has  bought." 

"I  could  have  told  you  that  much,  without 
waiting  for  him  to  say  it.  It  will  be  just  like 
him  to  give  it  away  for  a  song." 

"And  who  knows  but  that  it  contains  valu 
able  gold  or  silver  mines?  I  have  heard  of 
treasures  being  bought  in  that  way." 

"That  may  be,"  was  the  thoughtful  re 
sponse  of  Jack,  "  though  I  believe  most  of 
Wyoming — that  is  the  valleys  and  plains— is 
a  grazing  country." 

"I  don't  know  much  about  the  country, 
but  I  have  read  enough  to  learn  that  the 
greatest  discoveries  of  gold  and  silver  have 
been  in  places  where  no  one  expected  to  find 
them.  What  I  am  getting  at,  Jack,  is  that 
your  father  should  make  up  his  mind  not  to 
part  with  his  interest  in  the  ranch  till  he 
knows  all  about  it." 

"How  is  he  to  learn,  when  he  won't  go 
near  it?  Of  course  he  can  write  to  the  peo 
ple  out  there,  but  likely  they  will  not  tell  him 
the  truth." 


JACK  AND  FRED.  11 

"He  must  send  some  one  whom  he  can 
trust,  and  let  him  investigate/' 

"That  does  seem  to  be  a  sensible  plan/'  re 
marked  Jack,  as  if  the  thought  had  not  been 
in  his  mind  from  the  first. 

"  A  sensible  plan  !"  repeated  the  enthusias 
tic  Fred,  "  it  is  the  only  plan ;  nothing  else 
can  make  it  sure  that  he  is  not  being  swindled 
out  of  a  big  fortune." 

Jack  was  silent  a  moment,  while  he  looked 
steadily  into  the  brown  eyes  of  his  chum,  who 
half-smilingly  met  the  scrutiny.  Then  the 
whole  scheme  burst  forth. 

"  And  whom  can  your  father  trust  before 
us  f  He  must  see  that  the  best  thing  he  can 
do  is  to  send  us  out  there  to  make  a  full 
investigation.  We  won't  charge  him  any 
thing  like  what  he  would  have  to  pay  other 
folks." 

"  Of  course  not ;  only  our  travelling  ex 
penses  and  supplies." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  supplies  ?" 

"Say  a  Winchester  rifle  and  a  revolver 
apiece,  with  the  proper  ammunition ;  what 
sort  of  supplies  did  you  think  I  meant  ?" 


12  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  I  thought  it  was  food,  while  we  were  out 
hunting." 

Jack  turned  up  his  nose. 

"  If  we  can't  keep  ourselves  supplied  with 
food,  when  we  are  in  a  country  that  has  the 
finest  game  in  the  world,  we  deserve  to 
starve." 

"My  sentiments  exactly;"  and  as  if  the  co 
incidence  required  something  in  the  nature 
of  a  compact,  the  boys  shook  hands  over  it. 

"  What  a  splendid  treat  it  would  be  for  us 
to  spend  some  weeks  out  in  Wyoming !"  ex 
claimed  Jack  Dudley,  his  eyes  sparkling  and 
his  cheeks  glowing ;  "  it  looks  as  if  it  were 
providential  that  father  got  hold  of  that 
ranch." 

"  There  can't  be  any  doubt  about  it ;  but 
how  much  more  providential  it  will  be  if  we 
are  sent  to  learn  all  that  should  be  learned 
about  it !  I  wonder  if  that  can  be  brought 
about?" 

Enough  has  been  told  for  the  reader  to  un 
derstand  the  plot  formed  by  these  two  youths. 
There  could  be  no  question  of  the  grand  treat 
it  would  prove  to  both,  provided  their  parents 


JACK  AND  FRED.  13 

could  be  persuaded  to  take  the  same  view  of 
the  matter;  there  was  the  rub. 

Jack  crossed  his  legs  and  thoughtfully 
scratched  his  head.  Unconsciously  Fred  did 
the  same. 

"  It's  a  tougher  problem  than  we  ever  at 
tacked  in  Euclid,"  remarked  the  younger. 
Then  a  bright  thought  struck  him. 

"  Don't  I  look  a  little  pale,  Jack?" 

"  You  look  as  if  a  month's  vacation  in  the 
autumn  would  be  acceptable;  but  the  fact  is, 
Fred,  I  never  saw  you  look  better  than  you 
do  this  minute." 

Fred  sighed. 

"  I  am  afraid  I  can't  work  that  on  father. 
He's  too  good  a  doctor  for  me  to  worry  him 
about  my  health." 

"  How  about  me  f" 

Fred  shook  his  head. 

"  You  look  as  strong  as  an  oak  knot,  and 
you  are,  too ;  no,  we  can't  make  them  think 
we  are  in  need  of  a  month  in  Wyoming.  We 
shall  have  to  try  another  tack.  Now,  there 
is  no  doubt  that  if  we  spend  the  month  of 
September  putting  in  extra  work  on  our 


14  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

studies,  we  can  stand  the  following  month  in 
laying  off.  We  shall  come  back  with  new 
vigor  and  appetite,  and  soon  catch  up  with  our 
class." 

"  There  isn't  a  particle  of  doubt  about  that, 
but  it  still  remains  that  we  must  convince  our 
fathers  that  it  will  be  a  wise  course  to  send  us 
away  from  home.  We  can't  do  it  by  looking 
pale  and  weak,  for  we  can't  look  pale  and 
weak.  We  must  fix  on  something  else  or  it's 
no  go." 

"Why  not  fall  back  on  what  we  first  talked 
about?" 

"What's  that?" 

"Make  your  father  think  it  will  be  a  pru 
dent  thing  for  him  to  send  you  out  there  to 
look  after  his  property." 

"  Suppose  I  should  convince  him  on  that 
point,  how  about  you  ?" 

16  You  will  need  some  one  to  look  after  you, 
and  I'm  just  the  fellow." 

"  We  are  both  satisfied  in  our  own  minds ; 
in  fact  we  were  from  the  first;  but  our  fathers 
are  very  hard-headed  men." 

Now,  a  couple  of  boys  may  be  very  shrewd, 


JACK  AND  FRED.  15 

but  it  often  happens  that  their  parents  are  a 
good  deal  shrewder,  a  fact  which  my  young 
readers  will  do  well  to  remember. 

Unsuspected  by  Jack  Dudley  and  Fred 
Greenwood,  their  parents  read  on  the  instant 
the  momentous  problem  which  assumed  form 
in  the  brains  of  their  sons.  When  the 
younger  signalled  to  his  chum  to  follow  him 
out  of  the  room,  the  two  gentlemen  under 
stood  what  it  meant  as  clearly  as  if  they  over 
heard  all  the  conversation  that  followed. 
Waiting  until  they  were  beyond  hearing, 
Doctor  Greenwood  looked  at  his  friend  and 
remarked,  with  a  smile : 

"  They  are  hit  hard." 

"  No  doubt  of  it ;  their  hearts  are  set  on 
making  a  visit  to  the  ranch,  and  it  would  be 
singular  if  it  were  otherwise.  We  can  feel 
for  them,  for  we  were  once  boys." 

"  Yes,  John,  and  it's  longer  ago  than  we 
like  to  recall.  What  do  you  think  of  it  ?" 

"You  know  we  have  always  agreed  that 
many  parents  injure  their  children  by  undue 
indulgence." 

"True,  and  we  have  been  indulgent  to  ours, 


16  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

but  not  improperly  so.  A  great  deal  depends 
upon  the  children  themselves.  Jack  and 
Fred  are  obedient,  studious,  and  have  good 
principles.  If  we  should  say  'No'  to  this 
scheme  of  theirs  they  would  be  disappointed, 
almost  beyond  what  we  can  understand,  but 
neither  would  protest  or  sulk.  They  would 
study  just  as  hard  as  ever.  It  is  that  which 
appeals  to  us.  If  they  were  sullen  and  dis 
satisfied  we  wouldn't  care;  but,  John,  you 
and  I  have  each  been  blessed  with  model  sons, 
and  they  are  entitled  to  privileges  which  it 
would  not  be  safe  to  grant  to  other  boys.  I 
confess  I  feel  like  sending  both  out  to  Wyo 
ming  for  an  outing." 

" Of  course  it  would  spoil  the  enjoyment  of 
Jack  unless  he  could  take  Fred  with  him, 
but  what  excuse  shall  we  make,  Doc?" 

How  reluctant  a  father  is  to  appear  weak 
and  too  conciliatory  toward  his  child !  These 
two  men  had  virtually  decided  to  grant  the 
fervent  wish  of  their  sons,  but  it  must  be  done 
in  a  common-sense  way.  They  could  not  say 
"Boys,  since  you  have  set  your  hearts  on  this 
we  grant  it,"  but  they  must  fix  upon  some 


-    JACK  AND  FRED.  17 

scheme  that  would  made  it  seem  a  necessity 
that  they  should  go  thither. 

And  now  observe  how  ludicrously  similar 
their  thoughts  were  to  those  that  were  agitat 
ing  their  offspring  up  stairs. 

"  I  have  been  thinking/7  observed  the  phy 
sician,  "  of  suggesting  to  them  that  they  are 
in  need  of  an  extension  of  their  vacation ; 
but  what  a  farce  it  would  be  !  School  opens 
next  Monday,  and  they  are  the  types  of 
rugged  health,  strength  and  activity.  If  I 
undertook  to  make  such  a  proposition  I 
couldn't  keep  my  face  straight,  and  I  am  sure 
both  would  burst  out  laughing." 

"  I  know  /should,  if  I  were  present." 

"  Parents  must  not  make  dunces  of  them 
selves  before  their  children,"  was  the  philo 
sophical  remark  of  the  physician;  "some 
other  plan  must  be  adopted." 

Mr.  Dudley  leaned  forward  in  his  chair  and 
slapped  the  shoulder  of  the  physician,  his  face 
aglow. 

"  I  have  it,  Doc !" 

"  Let  me  hear  it,  for  I  admit  that  I  am 

cornered." 

2 


18  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  I  will  take  the  ground  that,  since  I  have 
become  part  owner  of  this  large  tract  of  land, 
my  first  duty  is  to  learn  the  truth  about  it.  I 
can  write  to  parties  out  there,  but  they  are  all 
strangers  to  me,  and  there  is  no  saying  how 
much  reliance  can  be  placed  on  their  reports. 
What  is  necessary  is  an  agent  who  will  make 
an  intelligent  and  honest  report ;  and  surely 
we  can  trust  our  own  sons  to  do  that." 

"  But,  John,"  remarked  the  doctor,  with  his 
pleasant  smile,  "  there  are  scores  of  people 
right  here  at  home  who  will  do  that  for  you. 
Suppose  Jack  reminds  you  of  the  fact?" 

"If  he  hasn't  any  more  sense  than  to  make 
such  a  suggestion,  then,  by  gracious!  I'll 
punish  him  by  sending  some  one  else." 

"  Little  fear  of  Jack  saying  anything  of 
that  nature.  Even  if  he  undertook  to  do  so, 
Fred  would  place  his  hand  over  his  mouth. 
But,  John,  let's  understand  the  matter  before 
we  say  anything  to  them.  Your  plan  of  send 
ing  out  Jack  to  inspect  the  property  is  a  good 
one.  It  sounds  business-like,  and  must  strike 
them  that  way  ;  so  that  difficulty  is  removed. 
You  and  I  don't  know  anything  about  the 


JACK  AND  FRED.  19 

region,  nor  the  best  time  for  hunting  game, 
but  it  is  fair  to  believe  that  the  month  of 
October  will  be  suitable.  Suppose  we  keep 
them  in  school  throughout  September,  and 
then  give  them  a  month's  leave  of  absence, 
to  examine  and  report  upon  your  property. 
If  all  goes  well,  they  are  to  appear  here,  ready 
to  resume  their  studies  on  the  first  Monday 
in  November." 

"I  can  suggest  no  improvement  upon  that. 
No  doubt  the  young  rascals  are  up-stairs,  plot 
ting  how  to  bring  us  round  to  their  way  of 
thinking.  Suppose  you  call  them  down,  Doc. 
Shall  you  or  I  unfold  our  brilliant  scheme?" 

"  You,  by  all  means,  since  the  property  is 
yours." 

The  physician  opened  the  door  of  his  office 
and  called  "Fred!"  There  was  instant  re 
sponse,  "  Yes,  sir."  "  I  would  like  to  see  you 
and  Jack  for  a  few  minutes  in  the  office." 

"Yes,  sir;  we  are  coming." 

And  a  minute  later  they  arrived,  hand 
some,  glowing  and  expectant. 

"Mr.  Dudley  has  something  to  say  to  you. 
Jack." 


20  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Both  boys  turned  their  faces  expectantly 
toward  the  gentleman  named,  who  crossed  his 
legs,  cleared  his  throat  and  looked  very  grave. 

"  My  son,  Doctor  Greenwood  and  I  have 
been  discussing  that  property  of  mine  in  the 
new  State  of  Wyoming.  We  have  agreed 
that  I  ought  to  learn  something  about  it  be 
fore  selling  my  interest  in  the  same.  To 
secure  such  reliable  information  it  is  neces 
sary  to  send  some  one  thither  whom  we  know 
to  be  truthful  and  honest.  The  doctor  thinks, 
and  I  agree  with  him,  that  the  right  one  to 
go  is  you,  Jack — that  is,  if  you  have  no  objec 
tions." 

The  parent  paused  for  a  reply,  and  Jack, 
as  if  the  matter  was  too  important  to  be  dis 
posed  of  hastily,  answered : 

"I  don't  think  of  any  objections  just  now, 
father." 

"  Very  well ;  I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  If  any 
occur  to  you,  you  will  let  me  know,  so  that  I 
can  engage  some  one  else." 

"  I'll  let  you  know  at  once,  if  I  think  of 


any  " 


"Very  well.     Our    plan  is   that  you  and 


JACK  AND  FRED.  21 

Fred  shall  resume  your  studies  next  Monday, 
and  keep  right  at  them  to  the  close  of  the 
month.  On  the  first  of  October  you  will 
start  for  Wyoming " 

"  Alone  ?" 

"  I  am  surprised,  my  son,  that  you  should 
interrupt  me  with  that  question.  Do  you 
suppose  I  would  allow  you  to  spend  a  month 
in  that  wild  region  without  a  companion  to 
look  after  you?  No,  sir!  Fred  goes  with 
you.  I  entrust  you  to  his  care,  and  expect 
him  to  bring  you  back  in  time  to  resume  your 
studies  on  the  first  Monday  in  November.  It 
is  very  kind  in  the  doctor  to  consent  to  the 
arrangement.  I  hope  you  appreciate  it,  sir.'1 

"I  thank  him  very  much,"  said  Jack, 
looking  toward  the  physician,  who  just  then 
drew  his  hand  across  his  mouth  to  suppress 
the  smile  that  was  tugging  at  the  corners. 

"  Of  course,"  continued  Mr.  Dudley,  still 
with  the  manner  of  a  philosopher,  "  in  visit 
ing  such  a  section,  inhabited  by  large  and 
fierce  game,  you  must  take  every  precaution. 
I  shall  furnish  each  of  you  with  a  repeating 
Winchester,  a  revolver,  and  such  other  articles 


22  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

as  may  be  necessary.  We  will  now  excuse 
you,  with  the  understanding  that  if  any  ob 
jections  occur  to  either,  you  will  let  us  know 
at  once,  so  that  you  may  continue  your  studies, 
while  I  engage  other  parties  to  attend  to  this 
business." 

"  I'll  think  it  over,"  replied  Jack,  tremu 
lous  with  delight. 

And  then  he  and  his  chum  withdrew  and 
went  up-stairs  again  to  the  room  of  Fred 
Greenwood,  who  hastily  closed  the  door.  The 
next  instant  they  were  hugging  each  other, 
and  dancing  about  as  if  their  senses  had  for 
saken  them ;  and  indeed  it  may  be  said  that 
for  a  brief  while  such  was  the  fact. 

"  Fred,"  said  the  happy  Jack,  when  there 
was  a  lull  in  the  excitement,  "we  must  fix 
upon  a  name  for  ourselves." 

"  I  thought  our  parents  attended  to  that  a 
good  many  years  ago." 

"  You  know  what  I  mean ;  we  need  some 
title  that  will  distinguish  us  from  all  other 
young  gentlemen  of  our  acquaintance.  How 
does'W.  E.'  strike  you?" 

" '  W.  E.'  ?     What  does  that  mean  ?" 


JACK  AND  FEED.  23 

"The  'Wyoming  Bangers;'  that  sounds 
rather  high-toned." 

Fred  shook  his  head. 

"We  are  not  going  West  to  reduce  the 
aboriginal  population  ;  I  hope  we  shall  have 
no  trouble  with  the  red  men.  When  we  get 
among  the  people  who  have  always  lived 
there,  such  a  title  will  make  us  ridiculous,  for 
it  smacks  of  conceit ;  it  assumes  too  much." 

" Suppose  you  suggest  something?" 

"  Let's  call  ourselves  the  '  V.  W.  W.' ;  that 
surely  will  be  appropriate." 

"  What  do  those  letters  mean  ?" 

"  The  '  Verdant  Wanderers  of  Wyoming  ;' 
that  is  precisely  what  we  shall  be." 

Jack  Dudley  laughed,  and  at  first  protested, 
but  finally  agreed  to  accept  the  title  as  fitting 
and  appropriate,  and  it  was  so  ordered. 


24  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  II. 

BIDING    NORTHWARD. 

AND  so  it  came  about  that  on  a  sharp, 
crisp  day  early  in  the  month  of  Octo 
ber,  two  sturdy  youths  left  the  Union  Pacific 
train  at  Fort  Steele,  which  is  situated  in  a 
broad  depression  between  two  divisions  of  the 
Wind  River  Mountains,  themselves  forming  a 
part  of  the  vast  Rocky  Mountain  chain,  which, 
under  different  names,  stretches  along  the 
western  portion  of  the  two  continents  from 
the  Arctic  Ocean  on  the  north  to  the  extreme 
southern  end  of  South  America. 

Like  the  sensible  youths  they  were,  Jack 
Dudley  and  Fred  Greenwood  had  made  the 
fullest  preparation  possible  for  the  experience 
which  was  destined  to  prove  tenfold  more 
eventful  than  either  anticipated.  Mr.  Dud 
ley,  in  accordance  with  his  promise,  had  pre 
sented  each  with  a  fine  repeating  Winchester 


RIDING  NOETHWAED.  25 

rifle,  an  excellent  revolver,  an  abundant  sup 
ply  of  cartridges,  and  various  knick-knacks 
which  the  hunter  is  sure  to  find  are  more  in 
the  nature  of  necessities  than  luxuries. 

They  had  tough  corduroy  suits,  a  material 
which,  as  everyone  knows,  wears  like  leather, 
though  it  is  unpopular  in  the  West  because 
of  its  unpleasant  odor  when  wet.  From  the 
knees  downward  the  lower  part  of  the  legs 
were  protected  by  strong  leathern  leggings, 
and  the  shoes  were  made  for  wear  rather  than 
display.  The  coats  were  rather  short  and 
gathered  at  the  waists  by  a  belt,  while  beneath 
the  garment  it  was  intended  to  wear  the  cart 
ridge-belt.  The  revolver  rested  in  a  sheath, 
instead  of  being  thrust  into  a  trouser's-pocket 
at  the  hip,  while  their  hats  suggested  the 
sombrero  pattern,  so  popular  among  cowboys 
and  cattlemen.  The  brim  was  broad  and  stiff, 
so  that  it  was  not  liable  to  bother  their  vision 
when  the  wind  was  blowing,  and  it  could  be 
depended  upon  to  protect  the  eyes  and  face 
from  the  sun  and  rain.  Their  whole  outfit, 
in  short,  was  strong,  comfortable  and  ser 
viceable. 


26  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  two  were  generously  furnished  with 
money,  while  Mr.  Dudley  arranged  with  a 
banker  at  Laramie  City  to  furnish  the  boys 
with  whatever  funds  they  might  need  through 
accident  or  robbery.  They  were  going  into 
a  region  where  there  were  many  lawless  char 
acters,  and  everything  was  done  to  provide 
against  all  possible  contingencies. 

Their  extra  clothing  and  articles  were  con 
tained  in  a  couple  of  valises,  which  were  put 
off  the  train  upon  the  lonely  platform  at  Fort 
Steele.  But  while  this  marked  the  farthest 
distance  they  could  travel  by  rail,  a  long  ride 
still  confronted  them  before  reaching  the 
ranch,  which  was  almost  half-way  between  the 
railroad  and  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  to  the 
northeast.  Several  streams  had  to  be  crossed, 
the  country  in  many  places  was  rough,  and 
there  was  no  stage  line  to  help  them.  All 
this,  however,  had  been  discounted  before  the 
boys  left  the  city  of  Chicago,  and  what  they 
encountered  was  only  what  was  expected,  and 
only  that  for  which  they  were  prepared. 

Word  having  been  sent  in  advance  of  their 
expected  arrival,  the  first  act  of  the  youths 


EIDING  NORTHWARD.  27 

was  to  look  around  for  the  man  or  men  who 
were  to  meet  and  conduct  them  to  the  ranch. 
A  few  people  were  moving  about  the  long, 
low  platform,  several  in  the  uniform  of  United 
States  infantry  and  cavalry,  while  a  couple  of 
Indians  in  blankets,  untidy  and  sullen,  sur 
veyed  them  with  scowls.  Few  passengers 
were  in  the  habit  of  leaving  the  train  at  this 
point,  so  that  some  curiosity  on  the  part  of 
the  loungers  was  natural.  Perhaps  the  agent 
at  the  station  suspected  them  of  being  run 
aways  whose  heads  had  been  turned  by  stories 
of  wild  adventure,  and  who  had  set  out  to  anni 
hilate  the  aborigines  of  the  West ;  but  if  such 
a  fancy  came  to  the  man,  it  must  have  van 
ished  when  he  noticed  their  intelligent  appear 
ance  and  the  completeness  of  their  outfit. 
Boys  who  start  on  such  whimsical  careers  are 
never  rightly  prepared,  and  have  no  concep 
tion  of  the  absurdity  of  their  schemes  until 
it  is  forced  upon  them  by  sad  and  woeful  expe 
rience. 

"Are  you  looking  for  any  one  ?"  asked  the 
agent*,  respectfully. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Jack  Dudley ;  "  we  are 


28  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

on  our  way  to  a  ranch  which  lies  to  the  east 
ward  of  Camp  Brown,  not  far  from  "Wind 
Kiver." 

"May  I  ask  your  errand  thither?" 

"  My  father  is  part  owner  of  the  ranch,  and 
we  wish  to  visit  it  for  a  few  weeks.'7 

"Ah,  you  are  the  young  men  that  Hank 
Hazletine  was  asking  about  yesterday.  He 
has  charge  of  Bowman's  ranch." 

"  That's  the  place.  What  has  become  of 
Mr.  Hazletine?" 

"  I  think  he  is  over  at  the  fort,  and  will 
soon  be  here.  He  brought  a  couple  of  horses 
for  you  to  ride.  Ah,  here  he  comes  now." 

The  boys  saw  the  man  at  the  same  moment. 
He  was  walking  rapidly  from  the  direction  of 
the  fort,  and  looking  curiously  at  the  youths, 
who  surveyed  him  with  interest  as  he  ap 
proached.  He  was  full-bearded,  tall,  and  as 
straight  as  an  arrow,  dressed  in  cowboy  cos 
tume,  and  the  picture  of  rugged  strength  and 
activity.  His  manner  was  that  of  a  man  who, 
having  made  a  mistake  as  to  the  hour  of  the 
arrival  of  the  train,  was  doing  his  best  to 
make  up  for  lost  time. 


RIDING  NORTHWARD.  29 

Stepping  upon  the  long,  low  platform,  lie 
walked  toward  the  lads,  his  Winchester  in  his 
left  hand,  while  he  extended  his  right  in  salu 
tation. 

"Howdy?"  he  said,  heartily,  as  he  took  the 
hand  of  Fred  Greenwood,  who  advanced  sev 
eral  paces  to  meet  him.  "  I  reckon  you're  the 
younkers  I'm  waiting  for." 

"  If  you  are  Hank  Hazletine,  you  are  the 


man." 


"  That's  the  name  I  gin'rally  go  by;  which 
one  of  you  is  Jack  Dudley  ?" 

"  I  am,"  replied  that  young  gentleman. 

"Then  t'other  one  is  Fred  Greenwood,  eh?" 
he  asked,  turning  toward  the  younger. 

"  You  have  our  names  right." 

"  Glad  to  know  it ;  I  got  your  letter  and 
looked  for  you  yesterday ;  have  been  loafing 
'round  here  since  then." 

"  We  were  not  sure  of  the  exact  time  of 
our  arrival  and  missed  it  by  twenty-four 
hours,"  said  Jack;  "I  hope  it  caused  you  no 


inconvenience." 


"  Not  at  all — not  at  all.  Wai,  I  s'pose  you're 
ready  to  start  for  the  ranch,  younkers  ?" 


30  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  We  are  at  your  disposal ;  we  have  quite  a 
long  ride  before  us." 

"We  have;  it'll  take  us  two  or  three  days 
to  git  there,  if  all  goes  well." 

"Suppose  all  doesn't  go  well?"  remarked 

Fred. 

"  We  shall  be  longer  on  the  road;  and  if  it 
goes  too  bad  we'll  never  git  there;  but  I  ain't 
looking  for  anything  like  that.  Where's  your 
baggage  ?" 

Jack  pointed  to  the  two  plump  valises  ly 
ing  on  the  platform,  near  the  little  building. 

"That  and  what  we  have  on  us  and  in  our 
hands  make  up  our  worldly  possessions." 

"That's  good,"  said  Hazletine.  "I  was 
afeard  you  might  bring  a  load  of  trunks, 
which  we'd  had  a  purty  time  getting  to  the 
ranch;  but  there  won't  be  any  trouble  in 
managing  them  ;  I'll  be  right  back." 

He  turned  away,  and  soon  reappeared, 
mounted  on  a  fine,  wiry  pony,  and  leading  on 
either  side  a  tough  little  animal,  saddled  and 
bridled  and  ready  for  the  boys. 

"  There  ain't  any  better  animals  in  Wyo 
ming  or  Colorado,"  he  explained;  "they  can 


RIDING  NORTHWARD.  31 

travel  fast  and  fur  a  long  time.  We'll  strap 
on  that  stuff  and  be  off." 

There  was  no  trouble  in  securing  the  bag 
gage  to  the  rear  of  the  saddles,  when  Jack 
and  Fred  swung  themselves  upon  the  backs  of 
the  ponies,  adjusted  their  Winchesters  across 
the  saddles  in  front,  following  the  suggestions 
of  Hazletine,  and  announced  themselves 
ready  to  set  out  on  the  long  ride  northward. 
The  animals  struck  into  an  easy  canter,  and  a 
few  minutes  later  all  signs  of  civilization  were 
left  behind  them. 

The  boys  were  in  buoyant  spirits.  There 
was  just  enough  coolness  in  the  air  to  make 
the  exercise  invigorating.  Here  and  there  a 

o  o 

few  snowy  flecks  dotted  the  blue  sky,  but  the 
sun  shone  with  undimmed  splendor,  the 
warmth  slightly  increasing  as  the  orb  climbed 
the  heavens.  To  the  northward  the  undu 
lating  plain  was  unbroken  by  hill  or  stream, 
so  far  as  the  eye  could  note,  while  to  the 
eastward  the  prospect  was  similar,  though 
they  knew  that  the  North  Platte  curved 
over  in  that  direction,  and,  after  winding 
around  the  upper  end  of  the  Laramie  Moun- 


32  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

tains,  joined   the   main   stream   far   over   in 
Nebraska. 

To  the  westward  the  prospect  was  romantic 
and  awe-inspiring.  The  Wind  River  range 
towered  far  up  in  the  sky  in  rugged  grandeur, 
following  a  course  almost  parallel  with  their 
own,  though  gradually  trending  more  to  the 
left,  in  the  direction  of  Yellowstone  Park. 
The  snow-crowned  peaks  looked  like  vast 
banks  of  clouds  in  the  sky,  while  the  craggy 
portions  below  the  frost-line  were  mellowed 
by  the  distance  and  softly  tinted  in  the 
clear,  crystalline  atmosphere.  The  mountains 
formed  a  grand  background  to  the  picture 
which  more  closely  environed  them. 

As  the  three  galloped  easily  forward  they 
kept  nearly  abreast,  with  the  ranchman  be 
tween  them.  He  was  in  a  pleasant  mood,  and 
seemed  to  have  formed  a  fancy  for  the  youths, 
who  felt  a  natural  admiration  for  the  big, 
muscular  veteran  of  the  plains  and  moun 
tains. 

"Yes,"  said  he,  in  answer  to  their  in 
quiries;  "I've  spent  all  my  life  as  a  cattle 
man,  cowboy,  hunter  or  trapper.  I  left  the 


BIDING  NOKTHWARD.  33 

States  with  my  parents,  when  a  small  younker, 
with  an  emigrant  train  fur  Californy.  Over 
in  Utah,  when  crawling  through  the  moun 
tains,  and  believing  the  worst  of  the  business 
was  over,  the  Injins  come  down  on  us  one 
rainy  night  and  wiped  out  nearly  all.  My 
father,  mother  and  an  older  brother  was 
killed,  and  I  don't  understand  how  I  got  off 
with  my  scalp,  but  I  did,  with  half  a  dozen 
others." 

"  Did  you  go  on  to  California?" 

"No;  I've  never  been  in  that  country, 
which  I  s'pose  you'll  think  strange;  but  I  was 
on  my  way  there,  when  I  met  the  great  scout 
Kit  Carson  and  several  hunters.  They  took 
me  along  with  'em,  and  the  next  twenty  years 
of  my  life  was  spent  in  New  Mexico,  Arizona 
and  Texas.  Since  then  I've  ranged  from  the 
Panhandle  to  Montana,  most  of  the  time  in 
the  cattle  bus'ness." 

"  At  what  are  you  engaged  just  now  ?"  in 
quired  Jack. 

"The  same— that  is,  the  cattle  bus'ness. 
You  may  know  that  after  thousands  of  the 
critters  have  spent  the  summer  in  Texas,  New 


34  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Mexico  and  Arizona,  they  drive  'em  north 

into  Wyoming,  Montana  and  the  Dakotas,  to 

git  their  finishing  touches.    The  grazing  is  so 

much  better  than  in  the  south  that  in  a  few 

months  they're  ready  for  the  market,  and  are 

either  killed  and  their  carcasses  shipped  to  the 

East,  or  they  are  took  there  by  train  in  as  fine 

condition  as  anybody  could  ask.  You  obsarve 

that  the  grass  under  our  feet  is  powerful  good." 

The  boys  replied  that  it  seemed  to  be. 

"Wai,  there's  hundreds  of  thousands  of  acres 

better  than  this ;  there's  thirty  thousand  of 

'em  in  Bowman's  ranch,  where  we're  going, 

and  it's  the  best  kind  of  grazing  land." 

"I  believe  it  extends  to  the  Wind  Kiver 
Mountains,"  said  Jack. 

"  It  takes  in  a  part  of  the  foot-hills ;  there 
are  plenty  of  streams  there,  and  some  of  the 
finest  grass  in  the  world." 

Jack  Dudley  did  not  forget  the  real  object 
of  the  coming  of  himself  and  companion  to 
this  section,  arid  he  could  not  gather  the  in 
formation  too  soon. 

"  How  does  Bowman's  ranch  compare  with 
others  in  Central  Wyoming  ?" 


RIDING  NORTHWARD.  35 

"  You  may  ride  over  the  whole  State  with 
out  finding  a  better.  If  you  doubt  it,  look  at 
the  country  for  yourself." 

"We  don't  doubt  anything  you  tell  us/'  said 
Fred  Greenwood.  "  I  suppose  you  know  that 
Mr.  Dudley,  the  father  of  rny  friend,  owns 
half  the  ranch?" 

"  I've  heerd  that." 

"He  didn't  intend  to  buy  it,  but  matters  so 
shaped  themselves  that  he  couldn't  help  doing 
so.  Before  selling  it,  he  sent  us  to  take  a  look 
at  it  and  find  out  whether  it  is  all  that  was 
claimed.  We  have  come  to  do  that,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  are  eager  to  have  some  hunt 
ing  among  the  mountains." 

"  You  won't  have  any  trouble  about  that. 
As  I  was  saying,  we're  close  to  the  mountains, 
and  when  you're  ready  I'll  go  with  you,  and 
promise  that  you'll  have  something  to  talk 
about  as  long  as  you  live." 

The  eyes  of  the  boys  sparkled  as  they 
looked  across  at  each  other,  and  Jack  said : 

"Nothing  could  delight  us  more.  We  need 
a  veteran  like  yourself,  and  are  happy  to  know 
you  can  serve  us." 


36  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"How  many  mouths  can  you  stay  in  "Wyo 
ming?" 

"  How  many  months?"  laughed  Jack.  "We 
are  under  promise  to  be  back  at  school  in 
New  York  on  the  first  of  November." 

"  Whew  !  I  wish  the  time  was  longer." 

"  So  do  we;  but  we  had  a  hard  enough  task 
to  get  the  month,  so  we  must  make  the  best 
use  of  it." 

"Wai,  we  can  crowd  a  good  'eal  into  two 
or  three  weeks,  and  I  won't  let  you  go  to 
sleep  in  the  daytime — I'll  promise  you  that." 

Hazletine  produced  a  brierwood  pipe  and 
pressed  some  tobacco  in  the  bowl.  Although 
the  motion  of  their  ponies  caused  quite  a  brisk 
breeze,  he  lighted  a  match  and  communicated 
the  flame  to  the  tobacco  without  checking  the 
speed  of  his  animal.  Then  he  glanced  ad 
miringly  to  the  right  and  left,  at  his  compan 
ions. 

"You're  a  couple  of  as  fine-looking 
younkers  as  I've  seed  in  a  long  time;  but 
you're  almost  as  tall  as  me,  and  it  seems  to  me 
you  orter  be  through  with  school." 

"  We  expect  to  stay  in  school  another  year 


BIDING  NOETHWAED.  37 

and  then  spend  four  in  college,  after  which 
several  years  will  be  needed  to  get  ready  for 
some  profession." 

"  Great  Jiminy  !"  exclaimed  the  astonished 
ranchman  ;  "  you  must  be  powerful  dumb,  or 
else  there's  more  to  larn  than  I  ever  dreamed 
of." 

"Well,"  said  Jack,  with  a  laugh  at  the  sim 
plicity  of  the  fellow,  "  there  are  plenty  of 
boys  a  great  deal  smarter  then  we,  but  the 
smartest  of  them  can  spend  their  whole  lives 
in  study  and  not  learn  a  hundredth  part  of 
what  is  to  be  learned." 

Hank  puffed  his  pipe  slowly  and  looked 
seriously  at  the  youth  for  a  minute  without 
speaking.  Then  he  said,  as  if  partly  speak 
ing  to  himself: 

"I  s'pose  that's  so;  a  chap  can  go  on  lam 
ing  forever,  and  then  die  without  knowing 
half  of  it.  I  never  had  much  chance  at  ed- 
dycation,  but  managed  to  pick  up  'nough  to 
read  and  write  a  letter  and  to  do  a  little  fig- 
gering,  but  that's  all." 

"That  is  what  you  may  call  your  book 
education ;  but  how  much  more  you  know  of 


38  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the  rivers,  the  mountains,  the  climate,  the  soil, 
the  game,  the  Indians,  and  everything  relating 
to  the  western  half  of  our  country !  In  that  re 
spect  we  are  but  as  babes  compared  with  you." 

"I  s'pose  that's  so,  too,"  replied  the  hunter, 
evidently  impressed  by  the  fact  that  these 
youths  were  destined,  if  their  lives  were 
spared,  to  become  excellent  scholars.  He  was 
so  thoughtful  that  they  did  not  interrupt  his 
meditations,  and  for  a  considerable  while  the 
three  rode  in  silenee. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  Jack  and  Fred 
kept  their  wits  about  them  and  took  note  of 
everything  in  their  field  of  vision.  The  sea 
son  had  been  an  unusually  favorable  one  for 
Wyoming,  the  rains  having  been  all  that  was 
required  to  make  the  grass  succulent,  nour 
ishing  and  abundant.  They  could  have 
turned  their  ponies  loose  at  any  point,  after 
leaving  the  railway  behind  them,  and  the 
animals  would  have  been  able  to  crop  their 
fill.  It  was  the  same  over  hundreds  of  square 
miles,  a  fact  which  readily  explains  why 
many  portions  of  Wyoming  rank  as  the  best 
grazing  country  in  the  world. 


BIDING  NORTHWARD.  39 

It  was  not  yet  noon  when  they  rode  down 
a  slight  declivity  to  a  stream  several  rods  in 
width.  The  water  was  so  clear  that  the  bot 
tom  could  be  plainly  seen  from  their  saddles, 
the  depth  being  no  more  than  two  or  three 
feet.  The  ponies  paused  to  drink,  and,  as 
they  emerged  on  the  other  side  and  started 
up  the  gentle  slope,  Hazletine  suggested  that 
for  a  time  at  least  they  should  be  held  down 
to  a  walk. 

One  anxiety  began  to  impress  itself  upon 
the  minds  of  Jack  and  Fred.  They  were  not 
only  hungrier  than  they  had  been  for  months, 
but  that  hunger  was  increasing  at  an  alarm 
ing  rate.  Neither  had  brought  any  lunch 
with  them,  and  they  wondered  how  food  was 
to  be  obtained.  Jack  almost  fainted  at  the 
awful  suspicion  that  perhaps  their  friend  in 
tended  to  break  them  in  by  making  the  two 
or  three  days'  journey  to  the  ranch  without 
eating  anything  at  all ! 

"I  suppose  it  would  be  no  trouble  for  him" 
was  the  lugubrious  thought  of  the  youth,  "  but 
it  will  be  the  death  of  us !" 

Happily    this    dread    proved    unfounded. 


40  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  sun  had  hardly  crossed  the  meridian 
when  both  lads  were  thrilled  by  the  declara 
tion  of  Hazletine : 

"  Wai,  if  you  younkers  are  as  hungry  as 
me,  we'll  have  a  bite." 

They  were  in  the  middle  of  the  undulating 
plain,  with  no  wood  or  water  in  sight;  but 
that  was  a  small  matter.  In  a  twinkling  all 
three  were  out  of  their  saddles,  and  the  guide 
unstrapped  a  large  bundle  from  its  fastening 
to  the  saddle  of  his  pony.  This,  being  un 
wrapped,  disclosed  a  goodly  portion  of  cooked 
and  tender  steak  and  plenty  of  well-baked 
brown  bread.  Furthermore,  there  were  a 
couple  of  bottles  of  milk — enough  for  two 
meals  at  least. 

These  having  been  placed  on  the  grass,  the 
bits  were  removed  from  the  mouths  of  their 
horses,  who  were  allowed  to  graze  while  their 
masters  were  partaking  of  one  of  the  most  en 
joyable  meals  they  had  ever  eaten. 

"  If  I'd  expected  to  be  alone,"  explained 
Hazletine,  "I  wouldn't  have  brought  this 
stuff  with  me,  but  we  may  not  see  a  maverick 
or  any  game  all  the  way  home.  I  wouldn't 


BIDING  NORTHWARD.  41 

mind  it,  but  I  don't  s'pose  you  are  used  to 
it," 

"  I  should  say  not,"  replied  Jack,  as  well 
as  he  could,  while  his  mouth  was  filled  with 
bread,  meat  and  milk;  "I'm  hungry  enough 
to  eat  a  mule." 

"  And  I  feel  as  if  I  could  chew  his  saddle," 
added  Fred,  laboring  under  the  same  difficulty 
in  speaking  clearly.  "  If  our  appetites  keep  up 
at  this  rate,  there  will  be  a  shrinkage  among 
the  cattle  in  Wyoming  before  we  go  home." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  a  maverick  ?" 
asked  Jack  of  their  guide. 

"It's  an  unbranded  cow  or  calf  that  don't 
b'long  to  nobody,  and  consequently  it  don't 
make  no  difference  whether  nobody  or  some 
body  brands  or  kills  it." 

The  rhetoric  of  this  sentence  may  not  have 
been  faultless,  but  its  meaning  was  clear  to 
the  boys.  They  ate  until  they  wished  no 
more,  and  were  vastly  relieved  to  note  that 
something  was  left  for  another  meal. 

"That'll  see  us  through  till  morning,"  said 
Jack,  "but  how  about  to-morrow  and  the 
next  day  ?" 


42  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  If  we  don't  see  anything  to  kill,  we  must 
wait  till  we  git  to  the  ranch." 

Fred  groaned. 

"  You'll  have  to  tie  me  in  the  saddle,  for  I 
shan't  be  able  to  sit  up." 

The  smile  on  the  face  of  the  guide  raised 
the  hope  that  he  was  not  in  earnest  in  mak 
ing  this  dreadful  announcement,  but  neither 
Jack  nor  Fred  were  quite  easy  in  mind. 

The  halt  was  less  than  an  hour,  when  the 
three  were  in  the  saddle  again.  Hazletine, 
instead  of  pressing  directly  toward  the  ranch 
that  was  their  destination,  bore  to  the  left, 
thus  approaching  the  Wind  River  range. 

"  There's  a  little  settlement  off  to  the 
right,"  he  said,  "  of  the  name  of  Sweetwater ; 
we  could  reach  it  by  night,  but  it  takes  us  a 
good  many  miles  out  of  our  path,  and  there's 
nothing  to  be  gained  by  losing  the  time." 

"  Are  you  following  a  straight  course  to  the 
ranch?" 

u  Pretty  near ;  but  I'm  edging  to  the  left, 
toward  the  foot-hills,  'cause  there's  better 
camping-ground  over  there." 

This  was  satisfactory,  and  the  youths  were 


BIDING  NORTH  WAED.  43 

not  the  ones  to  question  a  decision  of  so  ex 
perienced  a  guide  and  mountaineer.  Besides, 
they  had  hope  that  one  reason  for  the  slight 
change  of  course  was  that  it  increased  the 
chance  of  obtaining  game.  For  the  present, 
the  question  of  food  supply  was  the  most  ab 
sorbing  one  that  demanded  attention.  Other 
matters  could  wait,  but  a  sturdy,  growing  lad 
finds  his  appetite  something  whose  cravings 
can  be  soothed  only  by  the  one  method  that 
nature  intended. 


44  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ON   GUARD. 

TJHE  beautiful  weather  continued  un 
changed  throughout  the  afternoon.  As 
the  sun  declined  in  the  sky  there  was  a  per 
ceptible  coolness  in  the  air,  but  the  exercise 
of  riding  removed  all  necessity  for  using 
their  blankets. 

Although  the  party  had  been  edging  toward 
the  foot-hills  for  hours,  it  seemed  to  the  boys 
that  they  were  as  far  off  as  ever.  They  had 
covered  many  miles,  but  those  who  have 
travelled  in  the  West  know  the  deceptive 
character  of  the  crystalline  atmosphere,  so  far 
as  distances  are  concerned.  However,  as 
twilight  began  closing  in  they  reached  a 
small  grove  of  trees,  which  was  the  destina 
tion  of  the  guide  from  the  first.  It  was  there 
he  meant  to  camp  for  the  night,  and  he  could 
not  have  selected  a  better  place  had  he  spent 
a  week  in  looking  for  it. 


ON  GUAED.  45 

The  grove  covered  less  than  an  acre,  the 
trees  standing  well  apart,  and  wholly  free 
from  brush  and  undergrowth.  Thus  even  the 
horses  could  pass  back  and  forth  freely.  Over 
this  shaded  space  the  dark-green  grass  grew 
luxuriantly,  with  a  soft  juiciness  of  texture 
which  made  it  the  ideal  food  for  cattle  and 
horses.  In  the  middle  of  the  grove  bubbled 
a  spring  of  clear  cold  water,  whose  winding 
course  could  be  traced  far  out  on  the  plain 
by  the  fringe  of  deeper  green  which  accom 
panied  it. 

Saddles  and  bridles  were  removed,  and  the 
ponies  turned  free  to  crop  the  grass  until  they 
were  filled,  when  they  would  lie  down  for  the 
night.  The  blankets  were  spread  on  the 
ground  near  the  spring,  and  then,  at  the  sug 
gestion  of  Hazletine,  all  three  joined  in  gath 
ering  dried  branches  and  limbs  with  which  to 
start  a  fire.  It  was  now  cool  enough  to  make 
the  warmth  welcome,  while  the  flame  would 
add  to  the  cheerfulness  of  the  occasion. 

Jack  and  Fred  had  never  ridden  so  far  at 
one  stretch,  and  when  they  reclined  on  their 
blankets  to  watch  Hank  start  the  fire  they 


46  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

were  thoroughly  tired  out ;  but  it  seemed  to 
them  their  hunger  was  more  ravenous  than 
ever.  Each  forbore  to  speak  of  it,  but  the 
deliberation  of  their  friend  in  preparing  the 
meal  was  almost  intolerable. 

The  first  night  spent  by  the  boys  in  camp 
ing  out  in  the  wilds  of  Wyoming  was  one  that 
can  never  be  forgotten.  When  the  meal  was 
finished  and  the  last  vestige  of  food  eaten,  the 
three  stretched  out  where  they  could  feel  the 
grateful  warmth  of  the  fire  that  had  been 
kindled  against  the  trunk  of  a  large  oak. 
Hank  had  again  lighted  his  pipe,  and  deeply 
interested  Jack  and  Fred  by  his  reminiscences 
of  a  life  that  had  been  filled  to  overflowing 
with  strange  experience  and  adventure.  They 
listened,  unconscious  of  the  passage  of  the 
hours,  until  he  abruptly  asked: 

"  What  time  is  it  ?" 

Each  youth  looked  at  his  watch,  and,  to  his 
astonishment,  saw  that  it  was  nearly  half-past 
ten.  They  had  supposed  that  it  was  fully  two 
hours  earlier. 

"  One  of  the  rules  that  must  always  be  fol- 
lered,"  said  the  guide,  "  when  hunting  or  away 


ON  GUARD.  47 

from  home,  is  that  all  the  party  mustn't  sleep 
at  the  same  time." 

"  Then  one  has  to  stand  watch  ?" 

"  It  looks  that  way.  Now,  we'll  divide  the 
time  at  ween  us,  each  taking  a  part,  so  that  it 
won't  come  heavy  on  any  one." 

"  That  will  suit  us,"  Fred  hastened  to  say, 
while  Jack  nodded  his  head. 

"  All  right.  You,  Jack,  will  keep  watch 
till  twelve — that  is  midnight ;  then  you'll 
rouse  t'other  younker,  and  he'll  stand  guard 
till  two ;  then  he'll  give  me  a  kick,  and  I'll 
run  things  till  daylight." 

"  What  are  we  likely  to  see  ?"  asked  Jack, 
who  naturally  desired  to  learn  all  the  points 
concerning  his  new  duties. 

"  How  should  I  know  ?"  asked  Hank,  with 
a  grin.  "  There  may  be  wild  animals,  sich  as 
grizzlies,  cinnamon  or  black  bears;  there 
may  be  wolves,  or  dog  Injins  looking  for  a 
chance  to  steal  our  ponies." 

"  Why  do  you  call  them  '  dog  Indians  ?' ' 

"A  dog  Injin  is  a  tramp  'mong  the  other 
tribes ;  he  don't  live  much  with  any  of  'em, 
but  sneaks  round  the  country,  looking  for  a 


48  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

chance  to  steal  something,  and  it  don't  matter 
what  it  is." 

"  Suppose  I  catch  sight  of  one  of  the  ani 
mals  you  name,  or  a  dog  Indian — what  shall  I 
do?" 

"  Shoot  him  quicker'n  lightning." 

This  was  a  startling  order,  but  the  guide 
was  in  earnest. 

"  Are  you  afeard  to  do  it?"  he  asked,  half 
contemptuously. 

"  No ;  I'll  shoot  the  instant  it  is  necessary, 
but  I  don't  fancy  the  idea  of  picking  off  an 
Indian  without  warning." 

"  If  you  give  him  warning  you  won't  pick 
him  off.  If  you're  so  squeamish,  you  might 
argufy  the  matter  with  him." 

"Leave  that  to  me;  I'm  on  duty  now;  go 
to  sleep." 

Without  another  word  the  guide  wrapped 
his  blanket  about  him  and  stretched  out  in 
front  of  the  fire,  with  his  feet  toward  it. 
Judging  from  his  heavy  breathing,  it  was 
barely  five  minutes  before  he  became  uncon 
scious. 

"  It  strikes  me  this  is  rushing  things,"  re- 


ON  GUARD.  49 

marked  Jack  to  Fred,  as  the  two  sat  beside 
each  other.  "Last  night  the  <V.  W.  W.' 
were  in  the  sleeper  of  the  Union  Pacific ;  to 
night  they  are  looking  out  for  a  chance  to 
shoot  Indians." 

"  I  don't  believe  there's  any  likelihood  of 
finding  it.  I  suspect  that  Hank  is  having 
some  sport  at  our  expense.  If  there  was  any 
danger  he  would  stay  awake  himself,  instead 
of  trusting  two  tenderfeet  like  us." 

"  It  may  be,  but  we  are  in  a  wild  country, 
where  danger  is  likely  to  come  at  any  time, 
and  we  may  have  our  hands  full.  It  seems 
to  me  that  it  would  have  been  better  to  let 
the  fire  go  out,  and  not  attract  attention." 

"  He's  running  this  affair ;  he  wouldn't 
have  had  so  much  wood  gathered  if  he  didn't 
mean  to  keep  the  blaze  going." 

With  this  Fred  rose  to  his  feet  and  flung  an 
armful  of  wood  on  the  flames,  which  bright 
ened  up  until  their  reflection  was  thrown 
against  the  branches  overhead  and  well  out 
toward  the  edge  of  the  grove.  A  faint  whinny 
proved  that  the  horses  had  been  disturbed  by 

the  increase  in  the  illumination. 

4 


50  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Before    lying    down,  Fred   looked  at  his 
chum. 

"  I  wonder,  Jack,  whether  there's  any  risk 
of  your  falling  asleep  ?" 

"  There  would  be  if  I  remained  seated  on 
the  ground,  but  I  shall  not  do  that." 

"It  will  be  dangerous  to  walk  back  and 
forth,  where  the  fire  shows  you  plainly." 

"My  plan  is  to  move  out  in  the  grove, 
where  the  firelight  will  not  strike  me,  and 
stand  close  to  the  trunk  of  one  of  the  trees.  I 
have  heard  of  folks  sleeping  on  their  feet,  but 
there's  no  fear  of  my  doing  it.  Since  I  am 
to  call  you  in  less  than  two  hours,  Fred,  you 
would  better  get  sleep  while  you  can." 

The  younger  lad  bade  his  friend  good-night 
and  imitated  the  action  of  Hank  Hazletine, 
wrapping  his  blanket  around  himself  and  ly 
ing  down  near  the  fire.  He  was  not  quite  so 
prompt  in  sinking  into  slumber,  but  it  was 
not  long  before  Jack  Dudley  was  the  only 
one  of  the  little  party  in  command  of  his 
senses. 

Jack,  like  his  companions,  felt  the  need  of 
sleep,  but  the  fact  that  he  had  but  a  brief 


ON  GUAED.  51 

while  to  remain  awake,  and  the  consciousness 
that  the  safety  of  others,  as  well  as  his  own, 
rested  upon  himself,  made  him  very  alert. 
He  believed  he  could  sit  or  recline  on  the 
ground  and  retain  his  wits,  but,  fortunately, 
he  had  too  much  prudence  to  run  that  risk. 
Sleep  is  so  insidious  a  foe  that  we  can  never 
recall  the  moment  when  it  overmasters  us,  nor 
can  we  fight  it  off  when  in  a  prone  or  easy 
posture. 

He  adhered  to  the  plan  he  had  formed. 
Winchester  in  hand,  he  moved  away  from  the 
fire  until,  by  interposing  the  large  trunk  of  a 
tree  between  himself  and  the  light,  he  was 
invisible  from  that  direction.  He  stood  erect, 
taking  care  not  to  lean  against  the  trunk  for 
partial  support,  and  concentrated  his  faculties 
into  those  of  listening  and  looking. 

The  stillness  was  profound.  From  the  dis 
tant  mountains  to  the  westward  came  a  low, 
soft,  almost  inaudible  murmur,  such  as  one 
hears  when  many  miles  from  the  calm  ocean, 
and  which  has  been  called  the  voice  of  silence 
itself.  In  the  stillness  he  heard  the  faint 
crackle  of  one  of  the  embers  as  it  fell  apart, 


52  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

and,  though  the  night  wind  scarcely  stirred 
the  leaves  over  his  head,  he  caught  the  rustle. 
The  fact  that  there  was  nothing  from  the  di 
rection  of  the  ponies  showed  they  had  ceased 
to  crop  the  grass  and  were  lying  down.  The 
safety  of  the  camp  was  in  his  hands.  If  he 
forgot  his  duty,  it  might  be  fatal  to  all. 

The  sense  of  this  responsibility  and  the 
newness  of  his  position  made  Jack  Dudley 
more  wakeful  than  he  could  have  been  under 
any  other  circumstances.  To  these  causes, 
also,  was  due  a  suspicious  nervousness  which 
made  him  see  danger  where  it  did  not  exist. 
The  rustling  of  a  falling  leaf  caused  him  to 
start  and  glance  furtively  to  one  side,  and  at 
a  soft  stir  of  the  leaves  under  a  breath  of 
wind,  or  a  slight  movement  of  the  sleeping 
ponies,  he  started  and  grasped  his  rifle  with 
closer  grip. 

All  this  was  natural ;  but  there  came  a  mo 
ment,  not  far  from  midnight,  when  there  re 
mained  no  doubt  that  some  person  or  animal 
was  moving  stealthily  through  the  grove,  near 
where  he  was  standing.  It  will  be  remem 
bered  that  his  position  was  such  that  the 


ON  GUAED.  53 

trunk  of  the  large  oak  acted  as  an  impene 
trable  screen  between  him  and  the  camp-fire, 
which  was  burning  so  vigorously  that  its  rays 
penetrated  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  beyond 
him.  Thus  he  could  see  anything  moving 
within  the  circle  of  illumination,  while  he  was 
as  invisible  to  the  keenest-eyed  warrior  as  if 
the  night  was  without  a  ray  of  light. 

The  first  warning  was  through  the  sense  of 
hearing.  He  had  been  deceived  so  many 
times  that  he  suspected  his  fancy  was  play 
ing  with  him  again,  but  the  faint  tip,  tip  con 
tinued  until  such  explanation  was  amiss. 

"  It  is  an  Indian  or  a  wild  beast,"  was  his 
belief. 

The  next  minute  he  knew  that,  whatever  it 
was,  its  position  was  between  him  and  the  outer 
edge  of  the  grove.  Since  the  ponies  were  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  fire,  Jack  was  nearer  the  in 
truder  than  either  they  or  his  friends,  sleeping 
by  the  camp-fire.  Kecalling  that  his  place  was 
the  most  favorable  possible,  he  remained  as 
motionless  as  the  tree-trunk  behind  him,  and 
to  which  he  stood  close  enough  to  touch  by 
moving  his  foot  a  few  inches  backward. 


54  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  situation  being  thus,  it  followed  that 
if  the  man  or  beast  continued  its  advance  it 
must  come  into  sight,  while  Jack  himself  was 
invisible.  He  therefore  held  his  Winchester 
ready  for  instant  use  and  waited. 

He  was  standing  in  this  expectant  attitude 
when  a  remarkable  thing  took  place.  The 
fire,  having  remained  unreplenished  for  some 
time,  had  subsided  to  a  considerable  extent, 
when  one  of  the  embers  fell  apart  and  caused 
such  a  displacement  of  the  burning  wood  that 
the  light  flared  up  and  penetrated  with  its 
former  vigor  beyond  the  tree  which  sheltered 
the  sentinel. 

Jack  was  as  immovable  as  a  statue,  his 
weapon  grasped  in  both  hands,  when  this 
sudden  brightening  occurred.  He  was  peer 
ing  out  among  the  dark  trees,  in  the  effort  to 
identify  the  danger,  when  he  saw  the  unmis 
takable  figure  of  an  Indian,  hardly  twenty 
feet  away. 

The  buck  had  entered  the  grove  with  the 
silence  of  a  shadow,  and  was  making  his  way 
to  the  camp-fire,  when  betrayed  in  this  sin 
gular  manner  to  the  watcher.  In  the  reflec- 


ON  GUAED.  55 

tion  of  the  firelight,  his  naturally  hideous 
countenance  was  repulsive  to  the  last  degree. 
The  features  were  irregular,  with  prominent 
cheek-bones,  a  huge  nose,  and  a  retreating 
chin.  Ugly  as  nature  had  made  him,  he  had 
intensified  it  himself  by  daubing  black,  red 
and  white  paint  in  splashes  over  the  front  of 
his  countenance.  His  coarse,  black  hair 
dangled  loosely  about  his  shoulders,  and  a 
single  stained  eagle's  feather  protruded  from 
the  crown.  It  was  gathered  back  of  the  neck 
by  a  thong  of  some  sort,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
hair  getting  in  his  eyes  when  there  was  such 
imminent  need  for  their  use. 

The  chest  was  bare  to  the  waist,  and  was 
also  fantastically  painted.  In  the  girdle  which 
encircled  his  waist  was  thrust  a  knife,  whose 
handle  protruded,  while  the  leggings  and 
moccasins  weregayly  ornamented  and  fringed. 
He  held  a  formidable  rifle  in  his  right  hand, 
in  a  trailing  position,  and  was  leaning  well 
forward,  with  his  body  bent,  as  he  drew  near 
the  camp  with  that  stoical  patience  which  the 
American  race  shows  in  the  most  trying 
crises.  If  necessary,  he  would  continue  this 


56  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

cautious  advance  for  hours  without  showing 
haste,  for  it  is  often  that  his  people  circum 
vent  and  overthrow  an  enemy  by  their  incom 
parable  caution  and  care. 

One  peculiar  feature  of  the  unexpected 
flaring-up  of  the  light  was  that  its  strongest 
force  impinged  directly  upon  the  painted  face 
of  the  Indian,  which  was  seen  as  plainly  by 
Jack  Dudley  as  if  the  sun  were  shining.  The 
youth  felt  that  he  could  not  forget  that  coun 
tenance  if  he  saw  it  a  hundred  years  after 
ward. 

Had  Jack  followed  the  instruction  of  their 
guide  he  would  have  leveled  his  Winchester 
and  shot  the  Indian  dead  in  his  tracks.  The 
fellow  was  stealing  into  camp  in  such  a  man 
ner  that  there  could  be  no  doubt  the  least 
crime  he  meant  to  commit  was  to  steal.  No 
ranchman  or  hunter  would  hesitate  a  moment, 
under  the  circumstances,  to  give  him  his  eter 
nal  quietus. 

But  Jack  Dudley  could  not  do  such  a 
thing.  To  him  it  was  an  awful  act  to  shoot  a 
person,  even  though  a  savage,  and  his  con 
science  would  never  permit  him  to  do  so  un- 


ON  GUARD.  57 

til  there  was  no  choice  left  to  him.  He  would 
much  prefer  to  frighten  away  this  intruder 
than  to  kill  him. 

The  youth  was  so  confident  of  his  command 
of  the  situation  that  he  would  have  felt  hard 
ly  a  thrill  of  alarm,  but  for  the  fear  that  the 
redskin  belonged  to  a  party  near  at  hand  who 
had  sent  him  forward  as  a  scout.  Manifestly 
the  right  course  for  the  sentinel  was  to  dis 
charge  his  gun,  thus  scaring  the  Indian  and 
awaking  Hazletine;  but,  while  debating  the 
question  with  himself,  he  became  aware  that 
the  hostile  was  advancing. 

The  fellow  did  this  with  such  marvellous 
cunning  that  Jack  perceived  no  movement 
of  his  legs  or  feet.  The  latter  were  partly 
shrouded  in  shadow,  but  the  Indian  himself 
suggested  a  statue  set  up  among  the  trees. 
Nevertheless  he  was  inching  toward  the 
camp-fire,  and  was  already  a  couple  of  yards 
nearer  Jack  than  when  the  latter  first  noticed 
him. 

Had  he  approached  from  the  other  side  the 
youth  never  would  have  discovered  his  dan 
ger  ;  but  now  he  had  his  eye  on  the  enemy, 


58  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

and  meant  to  keep  it  there  until  the  crisis  was 
over.  It  was  perhaps  ten  minutes  later  that 
the  buck  was  within  six  feet  of  the  youth, 
who,  noiselessly  bringing  his  Winchester  to  a 
level,  took  one  step  toward  him  and  asked : 
my  friend,  what  do  you  want?" 


VISITOES  OF  THE  NIGHT.  59 


CHAPTER  IV. 

VISITORS   OF   THE   NIGHT. 

IT  takes  a  good  deal  to  startle  an  American 
Indian,  but  if  there  ever  was  a  frightened 
red  man  it  was  the  one  who  heard  himself 
thus  addressed,  and,  glancing  like  a  flash  to 
his  right,  saw  Jack  Dudley  step  forward, 
with  a  Winchester  rifle  leveled  at  him. 

In  the  language  of  the  West,  the  youth 
"had  the  drop"  on  the  intruder,  and  he  knew 
it.  Had  he  attempted  to  raise  his  own  weapon, 
or  to  draw  his  knife  and  assail  the  youth,  that 
instant  the  trigger  of  the  rifle  would  have 
been  pressed  and  the  career  of  the  buck 
would  have  ended  then  and  there,  and  he 
knew  that,  too  ;  but  the  fact  that  the  gun  was 
not  fired,  and  that  a  direct  question  was  ad 
dressed  to  him,  told  the  Indian  that  his  mas 
ter  was  less  merciless  than  he  would  have 
been  had  their  situations  been  reversed. 


60  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  camp-fire  was  still  burning  brightly, 
and  the  reflection  showed  on  the  painted 
visage.  Jack,  having  stepped  forward  into 
the  circle  of  light,  was  also  plainly  discerned 
by  the  Indian,  who,  turning  his  black,  serpent- 
like  eyes  upon  him,  said,  without  a  tremor  in 
his  voice : 

"  Me  good  Injin  ;  me  friend  of  white  man ; 
me  no  hurt  him.7' 

"It  doesn't  look  as  if  you  would ;  but  what 
is  your  business  ?  Why  do  you  steal  into  our 
camp  like  a  thief  of  the  night?" 

"Me  hungry — want  somethin'  eat." 

This  was  too  transparent  a  subterfuge  to 
deceive  one  even  so  unaccustomed  to  life  in 
these  solitudes  as  Jack  Dudley.  An  Indian 
wandering  through  a  country  so  well  stocked 
with  game  as  this  portion  of  the  new  State 
of  Wyoming  never  suffers  for  food;  and,  were 
such  a  thing  possible,  the  present  means  was 
the  last  that  he  would  adopt  to  procure  it. 

"  If  you  want  something  to  eat,  why  did 
you  not  come  forward  openly  and  ask  for  it  ?" 

The  fellow  did  not  seem  fully  to  grasp  the 
question,  but  he  repeated : 


VISITORS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  61 

"Me  hungry." 

Jack  recalled  that  there  was  not  a  mouthful 
of  food  in  camp.  Had  there  been,  he  proba 
bly  would  have  invited  the  visitor  to  walk  to 
the  fire  and  partake.  It  was  fortunate  for  the 
youth  that  their  larder  was  empty,  for  had 
the  two  started  among  the  trees  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  camp,  the  opportunity  for  which 
the  Indian  was  doubtless  waiting  would  have 
been  secured.  There  would  have  been  an 
interval  in  the  brief  walk  when  the  advan 
tage  would  have  been  shifted  to  him,  and  he 
would  have  seized  it  with  the  quickness  of 
lightning. 

The  manifest  duty  of  Jack  was  to  shout  to 
Hank  Hazletine  and  bring  him  to  the  spot. 
He  would  read  the  truth  on  the  instant  and 
do  the  right  thing ;  but  the  situation,  as  the 
reader  will  admit,  was  peculiar,  and  the  mo 
tive  which  prevented  the  youth  from  adopt 
ing  this  line  of  action  was  creditable  to  him. 
He  believed  that  the  moment  the  guide  ap 
peared  he  would  shoot  the  intruder,  and  that 
was  too  frightful  an  issue  for  Jack  to  contem 
plate.  He  did  not  want  this  warrior's  life, 


62  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

and  would  not  take  it  except  to  save  his  own 
or  that  of  his  friends. 

Jack  believed  that  enough  had  been  gained 
in  thoroughly  frightening  the  Indian,  and  the 
thing  desired  now  was  to  get  rid  of  him  with 
the  least  possible  delay.  He  did  not  think 
he  would  intrude  again,  even  if  he  had  com 
panions  within  call. 

"We  have  no  food;  we  can  give  you 
nothing ;  you  must  go  elsewhere." 

"Then  me  go;"  and,  as  if  the  business  was 
concluded,  the  buck  turned  about  and  began 
walking  toward  the  edge  of  the  grove.  Yield 
ing  to  a  whim  which  he  did  not  fully  under 
stand,  Jack  Dudley  followed  him  with  the 
warning  words : 

"  If  you  stop,  or  turn  about,  or  make  a 
move  to  shoot,  I  will  kill  you." 

It  is  probable  that  the  savage  contemplated 
some  movement  of  the  kind,  but  he  must 
have  known  the  fatal  risk  involved.  Quick 
as  he  was,  he  could  not  whirl  about  and 
bring  his  gun  to  a  level  before  the  young 
man  would  pull  the  trigger  of  the  Winches 
ter,  which  was  held  pointed  toward  him.  He 


VISITOES  OF  THE  NIGHT.  63 

knew  that  so  long  as  he  obeyed  orders  he 
would  be  unharmed,  and  he  would  have  been 
a  zany  had  he  hesitated  to  do  so. 

He  did  not  hesitate,  but  with  a  deliberate 
step  that  was  not  lacking  in  a  certain  dignity 
he  walked  slowly  between  the  trees,  with  his 
captor  only  a  few  paces  behind  and  keeping 
pace  with  him. 

Almost  on  the  edge  of  the  grove  Jack 
Dudley  made  an  interesting  discovery.  A 
pony,  smaller  than  the  one  he  had  ridden 
from  Fort  Steele,  stood  motionless  in  the 
shadow,  awaiting  the  return  of  his  master. 
He  was  not  tethered  or  tied,  for  he  was  too 
well-trained  to  make  that  necessary.  He 
showed  his  fine  training  further  by  merely 
pricking  his  ears  and  elevating  his  head  upon 
the  approach  of  his  master  and  companion. 
A  whinny  or  neigh  might  have  betrayed 
both. 

The  two  were  now  so  far  removed  from  the 
glow  of  the  camp-fire  that  they  could  see 
each  other  only  dimly.  There  was  no  moon 
in  the  sky,  though  the  stars  were  shining 
brightly.  The  Indian,  from  the  foroe  of  cir- 


64  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

cumstances,  was  compelled  to  hold  his  dis 
advantageous  position,  inasmuch  as  he  had  to 
move  out  from  among  the  trees,  while  Jack 
remained  within  their  shadows. 

Eealizing  that  this  was  a  critical  moment, 
he  stood  motionless,  with  his  weapon  still  at 
a  dead  level. 

"  My  gun  is  aimed  at  your  heart,"  he  said, 
"  and  I  am  watching  every  movement  you 
make.  Go  in  peace,  and  you  shall  not  be 
harmed,  but  on  your  first  attempt  to  injure 
me  you  die." 

The  words,  perhaps,  were  unnecessary,  for 
it  may  be  said  that  the  action  of  the  youth 
was  more  eloquent.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the 
redskin  showed  a  commendable  prompt 
ness  in  all  that  he  did.  He  vaulted  lightly 
upon  the  bare  back  of  his  pony,  whose  bridle 
consisted  of  but  a  single  thong,  and  turned 
the  head  of  the  brute  outward.  He  did  not 
speak,  for  it  was  not  required.  The  pony 
knew  what  was  wanted ;  and,  with  his  nose 
pointed  out  on  the  prairie,  he  emerged  from 
among  the  trees  into  the  open,  with  the  war 
rior  astride. 


VISITORS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  65 

Even  in  that  trying  moment  Jack  Dudley 
was  surprised  at  one  fact — that  was  the  won 
derful  silence  of  the  animal.  It  would  seem 
that  his  hoofs  should  have  given  out  sounds 
that  could  have  been  heard  for  a  considerable 
distance  in  the  stillness  of  the  night,  but  it 
was  as  if  he  were  treading  on  velvet.  The 
noise  was  so  faint  that  it  was  easy  to  under 
stand  how  he  had  come  to  the  spot  without 
betraying  himself  to  the  intently  listening 
sentinel.  No  wonder  that  the  Indian  ponies 
sometimes  display  a  sagacity  fully  equal,  in 
some  respects,  to  that  of  their  masters. 

The  Indian  showed  in  another  direction  his 
perception  of  the  situation.  Had  he  been 
leaving  the  presence  of  one  of  his  own  race, 
or  of  a  veteran  white  scout,  he  would  have 
thrown  himself  forward  on  the  back  of  his 
animal  and  ridden  off  on  a  dead  run,  for,  de 
spite  the  unexpected  mercy  shown  him,  he 
would  have  expected  treachery  at  the  last 
minute;  but  he  had  seen  his  master  and  knew 
that  he  was  a  young  tenderfoot,  inspired  by  a 
chivalrous  honor  which  is  the  exception  in 
that  section  of  the  country.  He  would  not 


66  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

shoot  until  good  cause  was  given,  and  there 
fore  he  took  care  not  to  give  such  cause. 

As  if  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  his 
rider,  the  pony  walked  away  in  a  direct  line, 
until  the  figure  of  himself  and  master  disap 
peared  in  the  gloom.  When  he  could  see 
him  no  more,  Jack  lowered  his  gun,  and 
stooping  down,  pressed  his  ear  against  the 
earth.  He  could  hear  the  soft  hoof-beats  of 
the  horse  growing  fainter  and  fainter,  until 
at  the  end  of  a  minute  or  two  the  impressive 
silence  once  more  held  reign.  Then  the 
youth  arose  to  his  feet. 

"  I  suppose  Hank  will  tell  me  I  did  wrong/' 
he  mused,  "but  my  conscience  does  not;  it 
would  be  a  woeful  memory  to  carry  with  me 
that  on  my  first  night  in  Wyoming  I  took  the 
life  of  a  human  being.  Perhaps  it  will  be  as 
well  that  Hank  should  not  know  it ;  I  will 
think  it  over." 

Now,  while  Jack  Dudley  had  conducted 
himself  in  some  respects  like  a  veteran,  yet  he 
had  shown  a  dangerous  short-sightedness  in 
another  direction.  It  will  be  noted  that  he 
had  busied  himself  wholly  with  the  single  in- 


VISITORS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  67 

truder,  and  at  the  moment  of  losing  sight  of 
him  the  young  man  was  a  comparatively  long 
distance  from  the  camp-fire.  Had  it  been 
that  there  were  two  or  more  hostiles  stealing 
into  camp,  they  could  not  have  asked  a  better 
opportunity,  for  it  was  left  wholly  unguarded. 
A  single  warrior  would  have  had  no  trouble 
in  creeping  undiscovered  to  a  point  from 
which  he  could  have  sent  a  bullet  through  the 
unconscious  forms  of  Hank  Hazletine  and 
Fred  Greenwood.  This  probability  never  oc 
curred  to  Jack  until  he  started  on  his  return 
to  the  fire,  from  whose  immediate  vicinity  he 
should  never  have  allowed  himself  to  have 
been  tempted. 

Even  then  his  strange  remissness  would 
not  have  impressed  itself  upon  him  but  for  a 
startling  discovery.  The  fire  was  beginning 
to  smoulder  once  more,  but  enough  of  its  glare 
penetrated  the  wood  for  him  to  note  the  black, 
column-like  trunks  of  the  trees  between  it 
and  him.  With  his  gaze  upon  the  central 
point,  he  saw  a  figure  moving  in  the  path  of 
light  and  coming  toward  him.  It  looked  as 
if  stamped  in  ink  against  the  yellow  back- 


68  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

ground,  and,  like  the  former  intruder,  was 
advancing  without  noise. 

An  awful  fear  thrilled  Jack  Dudley  as  he 
abruptly  halted  and  partly  raised  his  Win 
chester. 

"  While  I  have  been  busy  with  one  Indian, 
another  has  entered  the  camp  and  slain  Fred 
and  Hank  !  He  is  now  after  me  !  There  will 
be  no  hesitation  this  time  in  my  shooting!" 

Before  he  could  secure  anything  like  an 
aim,  the  other  stepped  behind  one  of  the 
trunks  on  his  right.  Jack  waited  for  him  to 
reappear,  ready  to  fire,  but  unwilling  to  do  so 
until  the  truth  was  established. 

While  waiting  thus,  a  low,  faint,  tremulous 
whistle  reached  his  ears.  It  was  the  most 
welcome  of  all  sounds,  and  raised  him  from 
the  depths  of  woe  to  blissful  happiness,  for  it 
was  the  familiar  signal  of  Fred  Greenwood 
that  had  been  employed  many  times  in  their 
hunting  excursions  nearer  home. 

Instead  of  an  enemy,  it  was  his  chum  and 
dearest  friend  who  was  approaching  him. 
Jack  instantly  answered  the  guarded  hail, 
and  the  next  minute  the  two  came  together. 


VISITOES  OF  THE  NIGHT.  69 

"  How  is  it  you  are  awake?"  was  the  first 
question  of  Jack. 

"  Because  it  is  time  for  me  to  awake;  it  was 
agreed  that  I  should  go  on  duty  at  a  little 
after  twelve,  and  it  must  be  near  one  o'clock." 

"  But  what  awoke  you  ?" 

"  Nonsense !  Haven't  you  and  I  travelled 
together  long  enough  to  know  that  when  you 
go  to  sleep  with  your  mind  fixed  on  a  certain 
time  to  awake  you  are  sure  not  to  miss  it  by 
more  than  a  few  minutes  ?" 

"  You  are  right ;  I  had  forgotten  that.  How 
was  it  you  knew  where  to  look  for  me  ?" 

"  I  didn't.  I've  been  prowling  around 
camp  for  fifteen  minutes,  groping  here  and 
there  and  signaling  to  you,  without  the  first 
inkling  of  where  you  were.  I  didn't  want  to 
awake  Hank,  and  therefore  was  as  careful  as 
I  could  be.  I  began  to  suspect  you  had  sat 
down  somewhere  and  fallen  asleep." 

"I  have  had  enough  to  keep  the  most 
drowsy  person  awake." 

And  thereupon  Jack  gave  the  particulars 
of  all  that  had  occurred  while  he  was  acting 
as  sentinel.  It  need  not  be  said  that  Fred 


70  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Greenwood  was  astonished,  for  the  manner  of 
their  guide  before  lying  down  convinced  them 
that  no  danger  of  any  nature  threatened  them. 

"Do  you  think  I  acted  right,  Fred?" 

"  Most  certainly  you  did.  Hank  and  the 
like  of  him  out  in  this  country  talk  about 
shooting  down  an  Indian  as  if  he  were  not  a 
human  being,  but  they  have  souls  like  the  rest 
of  us,  and  we  have  no  more  right  to  take  the 
life  of  one  of  them  than  I  have  to  take  yours. 
I  am  sure  I  should  have  done  just  as  you 
did." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that.  I  wonder 
whether,  if  we  stayed  out  here  a  few  years,  our 
feelings  would  change  ?" 

"  No  ;  for  the  principle  of  right  and  wrong 
cannot  change.  Do  you  remember  what  that 
old  settler  told  us  on  the  train,  a  couple  of 
days  ago?" 

"  I  do  not  recall  it." 

"He  said  that  at  a  little  town  in  Montana 
they  had  a  great  moral  question  under  debate 
for  a  long  time  without  being  able  to  decide 
it.  It  was  whether  it  was  wicked  for  the  men 
to  go  out  hunting  for  Indians  on  Sunday.  It 


VISJTOES  OF  THE  NIGHT.  .        71 

was  all  right  on  week  days,  but  most  of  the 
folks  seemed  to  think  it  was  a  violation  of  the 
sanctity  of  the  day  to  indulge  in  the  sport  on 
the  Sabbath.  But,  Jack,  you  are  tired  and  in 
need  of  sleep.  I'll  take  charge  of  matters 
until  two  o'clock." 

"  I  wonder  whether  anything  will  happen 
to  you?  It  does  not  seem  likely,  for  I  must 
have  given  that  fellow  such  a  scare  that  he 
will  not  show  himself  again." 

"  But  you  mustn't  reason  on  the  basis  that 
he  is  the  only  red  man  in  Wyoming.  How 
ever,  I  shall  do  my  best.  Good-night." 

Thus  summarily  dismissed,  Jack  returned 
to  the  camp-fire  in  quest  of  the  slumber 
which  he  needed.  Fred  had  thrown  addi 
tional  wood  on  the  blaze,  and  that  accounted 
for  the  increase  in  illumination.  Hank 
Hazletine  did  not  seem  to  have  stirred  since 
lying  down.  He  breathed  heavily,  and  doubt 
less  was  gaining  the  rest  which  men  of  his 
habits  and  training  know  how  to  acquire  un 
der  the  most  unfavorable  circumstances.  The 
youth  wrapped  his  blanket  about  his  figure, 
for  he  was  now  sensible  that  the  air  was  colder 


72  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

than  at  any  time  since  leaving  the  railway 
station.  He  was  nervous  over  the  recollection 
of  his  experience,  though  it  would  have  been 
deemed  of  slight  importance  to  one  who  had 
spent  his  life  in  the  West.  The  feeling  soon 
passed  off,  however,  and  he  joined  the  veteran 
in  the  land  of  dreams. 

And  thus  the  burden  of  responsibility  was 
shifted  to  the  shoulders  of  Fred  Greenwood, 
the  junior  by  a  few  months  of  Jack  Dudley. 
No  one  could  have  been  more  deeply  im 
pressed  with  his  responsibility  than  Fred.  He 
knew  that  a  hostile  red  man  had  entered  the 
grove  while  two  of  the  party  were  asleep,  and, 
but  for  the  watchfulness  of  the  sentinel,  might 
have  slain  all  three. 

"  I  don't  know  much  about  Indians/'  re 
flected  Fred,  "but  I  have  been  told  that  they 
are  a  revengeful  people.  That  fellow  must 
be  angered  because  he  was  outwitted  by  Jack, 
and  it  will  be  just  like  him  to  steal  back  for 
the  purpose  of  revenge.  It  won't  do  for  me 
to  wink  both  eyes  at  the  same  time." 

This  was  a  wise  resolution,  and  the  youth 
took  every  precaution  against  committing 


VISITOES  OF  THE  NIGHT.  73 

what  was  likely  to  be  a  fatal  mistake.  Although 
his  sleep  was  broken,  and  he  could  have  con 
sumed  several  hours  additional  with  enjoyment, 
he  was  never  more  wide-awake.  The  temptation 
was  strong  to  sit  down  on  the  ground  with  his 
back  against  a  tree,  but  he  foresaw  the  conse 
quences.  The  man  who  yields  only  for  a  few 
minutes  to  the  creeping  drowsiness  is  gone. 

Fred  was  more  circumspect,  even,  than  his 
chum.  Instead  of  taking  his  position  beside 
the  trunk  of  one  of  the  trees,  he  walked  si 
lently  around  in  a  circle,  keeping  the  camp- 
fire  as  a  centre.  By  this  means  he  not  only 
kept  his  senses  keyed  to  a  high  point,  but 
made  his  espionage  nearer  perfect  than  his 
friend  had  done. 

That  the  night  was  not  to  pass  without  a 
stirring  experience  to  the  younger  lad  was 
soon  evident.  As  nearly  as  he  could  guess, 
without  consulting  his  watch,  it  was  about 
one  o'clock,  when  he  became  aware  that  some 
person  or  animal  was  astir  in  the  grove.  He 
heard  the  faint  footfalls  on  the  ground,  though 
for  a  time  he  was  unable  to  catch  so  much  as 
a  shadowy  glimpse  of  the  intruder. 


74  TWO  BOYS  IN"  WYOMING. 

"  I  believe  it  is  that  Indian,  who  has  come 
back  to  square  accounts  with  Jack  for  getting 
the  better  of  him.  The  wisest  thing  for  me 
to  do  is  to  not  allow  him  to  see  me." 

This  was  wise ;  and,  to  prevent  such  a  dis 
aster,  Fred  adopted  the  precise  tactics  that 
had  been  used  by  his  friend.  He  stationed 
himself  beside  a  friendly  trunk,  which  so  in 
terposed  between  himself  and  the  fire  that  he 
was  invisible,  no  matter  from  what  direction 
approached.  Standing  thus,  he  peered  into 
the  surrounding  gloom  and  listened  with  all 
the  intensity  of  which  he  was  capable. 

Suddenly  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  in 
truder.  The  relief  was  unspeakable  when  he 
saw  that  it  was  not  an  Indian,  but  some  kind 
of  a  wild  animal.  It  was  but  a  short  distance 
off,  and  between  him  and  the  outer  edge  of 
the  grove. 

There  being  no  one  to  replenish  the  fire, 
the  light  had  grown  dimmer,  but  a  quick, 
shadowy  flitting  told  Fred  the  brute  was  mov 
ing  briskly  about,  only  a  few  paces  from  where 
the  lad  was  straining  his  vision  to  learn  its 
nature. 


VISITORS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  75 

"  We  might  as  well  wind  up  this  business," 
reflected  Fred,  as,  with  his  hand  on  the  trig 
ger  of  his  Winchester,  he  started  abruptly  in 
the  direction  of  the  stranger.  The  latter  was 
quick  to  perceive  him  and  whisked  away. 
The  lad  followed,  breaking  into  a  trot  despite 
the  intervening  trees.  The  beast  continued 
fleeing,  for  nothing  so  disconcerts  an  animal 
as  the  threatening  approach  of  a  foe. 

It  was  but  a  few  paces  to  the  edge  of  the 
timber,  when  the  brute  leaped  out  into  full 
view  in  the  star-gleam. 

One  glance  was  sufficient  for  the  youth  to 
recognize  it  as  an  immense  wolf,  which  had 
probably  been  drawn  to  the  spot  by  the  odor 
of  the  meat  that  composed  the  dinner  of  the 
party.  Fifty  feet  off  the  wolf  stopped,  turned 
partly  about,  and  looked  back  at  his  pursuer, 
as  if  to  learn  whether  he  intended  to  follow 
him  farther. 

Fred  did  not,  but  the  opportunity  was  too 
good  to  be  lost.  The  aim  was  inviting,  and, 
bringing  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  he  sighted 
as  best  he  could  and  pulled  the  trigger.  He 
could  not  have  done  better  had  the  sun  been 


76  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

shining.  The  bullet  passed  directly  through 
the  skull  of  the  wolf,  which  uttered  a  sharp 
yelp,  leaped  several  feet  into  the  air,  and, 
doubling  up  like  a  jack-knife,  fell  upon  his 
side,  where,  after  several  convulsive  struggles, 
he  lay  still. 

Naturally  enough,  the  boy  was  elated  over 
his  success,  for  the  shot  was  certainly  an  ex 
cellent  one. 

"  There  !"  he  said.  "  Jack  frightened  off 
the  Indians,  and  I  think  I  have  given  the 
wild  animals  a  good  lesson.  At  any  rate,  you 
won't  bother  us  any  more." 

He  supposed  that  the  report  of  the  gun 
would  awaken  Hazletine  and  bring  him  to  the 
spot  to  learn  the  explanation,  but  nothing  of 
that  nature  followed.  If  the  report  disturbed 
him,  he  merely  opened  and  closed  his  eyes, 
and  continued  to  slumber,  after  the  manner 
of  one  who  appreciates  the  value  of  rest. 

In  truth,  it  was  always  a  matter  of  wonder 
ment  to  the  boys  that  their  veteran  guide 
adopted  the  course  he  followed  that  night. 
That  actual  danger  impended  was  proven  by 
the  incidents  already  narrated,  and  yet  he  en- 


VISITORS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  77 

trusted  the  safety  of  one  of  the  boys,  as  well 
as  his  own  life,  to  another,  who,  until  then, 
had  never  been  in  a  similar  position.  Why 
he  did  so  would  be  hard  to  explain,  but  he 
never  admitted  that  his  course  was  a  mistake. 
Sometimes,  as  is  well  known,  a  boy  is  taught 
to  swim  by  flinging  him  into  deep  water, 
where  he  must  choose  between  keeping  afloat 
and  drowning ;  and  it  may  be  the  guide  be 
lieved  that,  by  tossing  his  young  friends  into 
the  midst  of  danger  at  the  very  beginning  of 
their  experience  as  Western  hunters,  they 
would  acquire  the  needed  skill  the  more 
quickly. 


78  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  V. 


NOW    FOR    THE   RANCH." 


ONE  of  the  singular  features  connected 
with  the  experience  of  our  young  friends 
during  the  first  night  they  spent  in  Wyoming 
was  that  all  the  danger  which  threatened 
them  came  from  one  Indian  and  from  one 
lupus.  After  Jack  Dudley  had  expelled  the 
prowling  buck,  the  intruder  took  good  care 
to  remain  away.  Neither  he  nor  any  of  his 
companions  troubled  the  campers  further. 
The  presumption,  therefore,  was  that  this  soli 
tary  specimen  was  a  "  dog  Indian,"  or  vagrant, 
wandering  over  the  country  on  his  own  ac 
count.  Such  fellows,  as  already  explained, 
claim  no  kinship  with  any  tribe,  but  are,  like 
the  tramps  of  civilized  society,  agents  for 
themselves  alone. 

Had  the  season  been  winter,  with  the  snow 
deep  on    the  ground,  the  trouble    from  the 


"NOW  FOE  THE  RANCH."  79 

wolves  would  have  been  more  serious.  Those 
gaunt  creatures,  when  goaded  by  hunger,  be 
come  exceedingly  daring,  and  do  not  hesi 
tate  to  attack  even  armed  bodies  of  men  ;  but 
it  was  autumn  time,  when  the  ravenous  brutes, 
who  seem  always  to  be  hungry,  find  the  least 
difficulty  in  procuring  food,  and  they  re 
mained  true  to  their  cowardly  disposition  and 
refrained  from  everything  in  the  nature  of 
true  courage. 

The  curious  fact,  as  we  have  remarked,  was 
that,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Indian,  only  a  single 
wolf  intruded  upon  the  little  company.  The 
animals  generally  travel  in  droves,  and  when 
one  is  seen  it  is  quite  safe  to  count  upon  a 
dozen,  or  a  score,  or  even  more.  It  is  possible 
that  the  victim  of  Fred  Greenwood's  Win 
chester  was  also  a  sort  of  tramp,  prospecting 
for  his  own  benefit.  It  is  more  likely,  how 
ever,  that  he  was  what  might  be  considered 
a  scout  or  advance  agent  of  others.  His  pack 
was  probably  waiting  among  the  foot-hills  for 
him  to  return  with  his  report.  If  so,  the  re 
port  is  now  considerably  overdue. 

Fred  was  a  model  sentinel  for  the  remain- 


80  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

ing  hours  that  he  continued  on  duty.  He 
continued  circling  about  the  camp-fire,  silent, 
stealthy,  peering  here  and  there,  and  listen 
ing  for  the  first  evidence  of  danger.  Nothing 
of  the  kind  was  seen  or  heard,  and  he  finally 
came  back  to  the  smouldering  fire  and  looked 
at  the  face  of  his  watch. 

Could  it  be  possible  ?  It  lacked  a  few  min 
utes  of  three  o'clock.  According  to  agreement, 
he  should  have  called  Hazletine  an  hour  before. 

"I  don't  suppose  he  will  object,"  said  Fred, 
aloud ;  "  I'm  sure  I  shouldn't,  if  allowed  to 
sleep  an  hour  beyond  my  time " 

"  I  ain't  doing  any  kicking,  am  I  ?" 

Looking  around,  he  saw  the  guide  had 
flung  aside  his  blanket  and  was  sitting  erect, 
with  a  quizzical  expression  on  his  face. 

"What  made  you  fire  your  gun  'bout  two 
hours  ago  ?"  he  asked. 

"Did  you  hear  me?" 

" How'd  I  know  if  I  hadn't  heard  it?"  was 
the  pertinent  question. 

"  A  wolf  was  sneaking  among  the  trees.  I 
followed  him  out  to  the  edge  of  the  timber 
and  let  him  have  it  between  the  eyes." 


"NOW  FOR  THE  BANCH."  81 

"Did  you  hurt  him?" 

"  Since  he  flopped  over  and  died,  I  have 
reason  to  believe  he  was  hurt." 

"  Good !  That's  the  style — always  to  shoot. 
Never  waste  your  ammunition.  You  didn't 
kill  any  Injins  ?" 

"  I  saw  none  at  all." 

Hank  looked  at  the  unconscious  figure  of 
Jack  Dudley. 

"  Wonder  how  it  was  with  him  ?" 

"  He  did  not  fire  his  gun  at  anything." 

Fred  did  not  wish  to  tell  his  friend  about 
that  alarming  visit  earlier  in  the  evening. 
That  was  Jack's  concern. 

"  But  he  may  have  seed  something.  How- 
sumever,  we  can  wait  till  morning.  Wai, 
younker,  if  you've  no  'bjection  you  can  lay 
down  and  snooze  till  morning.  I  go  on  duty 
now." 

There  was  vast  comfort  in  this  knowledge. 
It  relieved  the  youth  from  the  last  remnant 
of  anxiety,  and  he  lost  no  time  in  abandoning 
himself  to  slumber.  The  man  who  was  now 
acting  as  sentinel  was  a  past  master  at  the  art, 
and  there  need  be  no  misgiving  while  he  was 


82  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

on  duty.  Thus  it  came  about  that  neither 
Jack  Dudley  nor  Fred  Greenwood  opened  his 
eyes  until  the  sun  was  shining  into  the  grove. 

Each  had  had  a  refreshing  night,  but  it 
cannot  be  said  that  their  awakening  was  of 
the  most  pleasant  nature.  The  hunger  that 
had  been  twice  satisfied  the  day  before  was 
not  to  be  compared  to  that  which  now  got 
hold  of  them.  With  the  insatiate  craving 
was  the  knowledge  that  there  was  not  a  scrap 
of  meat,  a  crumb  of  bread  nor  a  drop  of  milk 
in  camp. 

"  We  can  fill  up  on  water,"  remarked  Jack, 
after  they  had  bathed  faces  and  hands  and 
quaffed  their  fill. 

"  But  what  good  will  that  do  ?  We  might 
bubble  over,  but  we  should  be  just  as  hungry 


"  It  seems  to  me  that  when  a  fellow  is  chock- 
full  of  anything  he  oughtn't  to  feel  much 
hunger." 

"  I've  often  thought  that,  but  you  can't  fool 
nature  that  way." 

"  If  it  gets  any  worse  we  can  shoot  the 
ponies  and  devour  them." 


"NOW  FOE  THE  RANCH."  83 

"  Why  both  of  them  ?" 

"  Because  it  would  take  a  whole  one  to  sat 
isfy  me.  I  don't  know  how  you  feel,  Jack, 
but  if  we  are  to  have  appetites  like  this  I 
shall  go  in  for  buying  a  drove  of  cattle  and 
spending  the  few  weeks  we  have  in  these 
parts  in  eating." 

The  youths  looked  in  each  other's  face  and 
laughed.  Truly  they  were  ahungered,  but 
could  never  quite  lose  their  waggish  ness. 

"I  wonder  what's  become  of  Hank,"  sud 
denly  exclaimed  Fred,  looking  beside  and 
behind  them  ;  "  the  fire  is  nearly  burned  out, 
and  he  is  nowhere  in  sight.  HALLOO  !" 

The  hail  was  uttered  in  a  loud  voice,  and 
was  responded  to,  but  from  a  point  a  consid 
erable  distance  out  upon  the  prairie,  in  the 
direction  of  the  foot-hills.  The  open  nature 
of  the  wood  permitted  the  boys  to  see  quite 
clearly  in  that  direction. 

"  Yonder  he  comes,"  said  Jack. 

"  And,  by  gracious,  he's  carrying  some 
thing  on  his  shoulders.  I  wonder  if  it  is  that 
Indian  you  chatted  with  last  night." 

"  Better  than  that.    It's  something  to  eat  /" 


84  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Jack  Dudley  was  right.  The  guide  was 
laden  with  the  carcass  of  some  animal.  Its 
bulk  was  proof  that  he  possessed  an  accurate 
idea  of  the  appetite  of  these  young  gentlemen. 

"  How  careless  in  him  to  leave  us  thus 
alone/'  remarked  Fred,  with  mock  reproof. 

"  Do  you  wish  he  hadn't  done  so  ?" 

"Don't  name  it!"  exclaimed  Fred,  with  a 
shudder;  "he  knew  the  only  way  of  saving 
our  lives.  It  wouldn't  have  done  for  him  to 
postpone  it  another  hour." 

Hank  Hazletine  was  never  more  welcome 
than  when  he  entered  the  grove  and  let  fall 
from  his  shoulders  the  carcass  of  a  half-grown 
calf,  plump,  juicy,  tender,  and  in  the  best  of 
condition. 

"  I  don't  s'pose  you  care  much  'bout  it,  but 
I  feel  like  having  something  worth  while  for 
breakfast,"  he  remarked,  proceeding  to  pre 
pare  the  coals,  for  he  had  dressed  the  veal 
before  starting  on  his  return. 

"Well,"  said  Fred,  with  assumed  indiffer 
ence,  "  I  suspect  that  since  you  intend  to  par 
take  of  food  yourself,  we  may  as  well  join 
you  for  the  sake  of  sociability." 


"NOW  FOR  THE  RANCH."  85 

Men  like  the  old  hunter  are  adepts  at  pre 
paring  a  meal.  The  smouldering  fire  was  in 
good  condition  for  broiling,  and  when  raked 
apart  afforded  a  bed  of  live  coals,  over  which 
generous  slices  were  suspended  on  green 
twigs,  cut  from  the  nearest  trees.  It  took  but 
a  few  minutes  to  prepare  the  meat.  Hank 
always  carried  with  him  a  box  of  mixed  pep 
per  and  salt,  whose  contents  were  sprinkled 
over  the  toothsome  food,  of  which  the  three 
ate  their  fill. 

"  Are  there  any  more  of  these  animals  left 
in  the  neighborhood  ?"  asked  Jack,  when  their 
appetites  were  fully  satisfied. 

"S'pose  you  go  out  on  the  edge  of  the  tim 
ber  and  larn  for  yourselves." 

The  lads  followed  the  suggestion.  Looking 
off  in  the  direction  of  the  Wind  River  Moun 
tains,  it  seemed  to  them  that  tens  of  thousands 
of  cattle  were  browsing  among  the  foot-hills 
and  on  the  grassy  plain,  while  many  more 
must  have  been  beyond  sight.  This  was  one 
of  the  choicest  regions  of  Wyoming,  so  widely 
celebrated  for  its  grazing  facilities. 

It  was  an  impressive  sight,  and  the  boys, 


86  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

each  of  whom  was  provided  with  a  good  spy 
glass,  surveyed  the  scene  for  some  minutes  in 
wondering  silence.  The  cattle  were  several 
miles  distant,  and  seemed  to  be  brown,  undu 
lating  hummocks  of  dirt,  kept  in  constant 
motion  by  some  force  beneath.  On  the  outer 
fringe  they  were  more  scattered,  but  were 
constantly  moving,  as  if  the  pasturage  was  so 
excellent  that  they  were  continually  tempted 
to  give  up  that  which  was  good  for  that 
which  looked  better. 

"Are  they  left  wholly  to  themselves?" 
asked  Fred,  as  the  youths  came  back  to 
where  the  guide  was  saddling  his  pony. 

"  No.  There  are  always  two  or  three  men 
looking  after  them.  I  seed  Bart  Coinjock,  one 
of  our  own  cowboys,  'tending  our  animals, 
and  he  told  me  to  take  my  ch'ice  from  the  lot. 
You  mustn't  forgit  that  we're  purty  close  to 
the  Wind  Eiver  Injin  Keservation,  where  the 
Government  has  several  tribes  under  charge." 

This  was  news  to  the  boys.  Hazletine  ex 
plained  that  a  large  tract  of  land  to  the  north 
west  and  close  to  the  mountains  had  been  set 
apart  some  years  before  by  the  United  States 


"NOW  FOE  THE  RANCH."  87 

Government  for  exclusive  occupancy  by  sev 
eral  tribes  of  Indians.  They  owned  the  land, 
'and  no  white  man  had  the  right  to  intrude 
upon  them. 

In  the  Southwest,  where  the  Apaches  were 
placed  on  reservations,  there  had  been  the 
most  frightful  trouble,  for  those  Indians  are 
the  worst  in  North  America.  All  our  readers 
know  how  many  times  the  fierce  Geronimo 
and  a  few  of  his  hostiles  broke  away  from 
their  reservation,  and,  riding  swiftly  through 
Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  spread  desolation, 
woe  and  death  in  their  path.  Not  until  Ge 
ronimo  and  his  worst  bucks  were  run  down 
in  old  Mexico  and  transported  bodily  to  the 
East  was  the  danger  to  the  Southwest  termi 
nated. 

Nothing  of  the  kind  has  taken  place  in 
Wyoming,  Montana,  the  Dakotas  and  other 
reservations  further  east,  but  there  is  always 
a  certain  number  of  malcontents  on  the  reser 
vations  who  cause  trouble.  They  steal  away 
unnoticed  by  the  authorities,  and  engage  in 
thieving,  and,  when  the  chances  are  favorable 
against  detection,  commit  graver  crimes. 


88  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"That  Injin  that  come  into  the  timber  last 
night  was  a  sort  of  dog  Injin  that  had  come 
down  from  the  Wind  River  Reservation  to 
find  out  what  he  could  steal." 

The  boys  looked  at  each  other  in  astonish 
ment.  They  had  made  no  reference  to  the 
visitor  in  the  hearing  of  the  guide,  and  could 
not  understand  where  he  had  gained  his 
knowledge.  He  noticed  their  surprise,  and 
smiled. 

"  I  seed  the  tracks  of  his  pony,  as  well  as 
his  own.  It  was  as  plain  to  me  as  the  words 
of  a  printed  book.  Why  didn't  you  shoot 
the  chap?" 

Thus  appealed  to,  Jack  told  the  story. 
Hazletine  listened  with  an  expression  of 
amused  contempt  on  his  bearded  face. 

"  You'll  git  over  that  afore  you've  been 
here  long.  I  think  I  know  who  he  was.  Tell 
me  how  he  looked." 

Jack  was  able  to  give  a  good  description  of 
his  visitor,  and  before  it  was  finished  the 
guide  nodded  his  head  several  times. 

"  It  was  him,  Motoza,  one  of  the  worst 
scamps  west  of  the  Mississippi.'* 


"NOW  FOR  THE  EANCH."  89 

"  What  do  you  suppose  he  was  after  ?" 
"  He'll  steal  anything  he  can  lay  his  hands 
on.     If  he'd  found  us   all    asleep  he'd  shot 
every  one  of  us.     That's  the  kind  of  a  feller 
Motoza  is.    You  played  it  well  on  him,  catch 
ing  him  as  you  did,  but  you'd  played  it  a 
hanged  sight    better  if    you'd    put  a  bullet 
through,  him  afore  you  asked  any  questions." 
"What  tribe  does  he  belong  to?" 
"  That's  a  queer  part  of  it.     Gin'rally  it's 
easy  to  tell  from  the  dress,  paint  and  style  of 
an  Injin  what  his  tribe  or  totem  is,  but  there's 
nothing  of  the  kind  'bout  Motoza  to  guide 
you.     I  think  he's  a  Sioux." 

"  I  understood  those  red  men  live  further 
to  the  eastward." 

"  So  they  do ;  but  Motoza  has  wandered 
from  his  people.  He  was  under  Sitting  Bull, 
and  went  with  him  into  British  America  when 
it  got  too  hot  on  this  side  of  the  line ;  but  Sit 
ting  Bull  come  back,  and  Motoza  follered.  He 
tries  to  make  b'leve  he's  a  good  Injin,  and 
sometimes  he  is  for  months  at  a  time  on  the 
reservation.  Then  the  devil  gits  into  him, 
and  he's  off  somewhere." 


90  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on  the 
three  had  mounted  their  ponies  and  were  gal 
loping  northward,  this  time  trending  to  the 
right,  so  as  to  draw  away  from  the  mountains 
and  follow  an  almost  direct  line  to  Bowman's 
ranch,  their  destination.  The  animals  were 
so  fresh  and  spirited  that  Hazletine  said  he 
was  hopeful  of  sleeping  that  night  in  the 
ranch  itself,  as  he  called  the  low,  flat  building 
where  he  and  several  cowmen  made  their 
home  when  in  that  part  of  the  country  attend 
ing  to  their  duties. 

It  would  take  hard  riding,  and  would  lead 
them  into  the  night  to  accomplish  the  long 
journey,  but  the  guide  saw  no  reason  why  it 
should  not  be  done.  If  a  storm  came  up — 
and  they  break  with  amazing  suddenness  at 
times  in  that  part  of  the  world — or  if  any 
mishap  befell  their  ponies,  a  stop  would  have 
to  be  made  for  the  night  before  reaching  the 
ranch. 

Jack  Dudley  decided  to  ask  a  question  that 
had  been  in  his  mind  for  some  time. 

"  Hank,  that  Indian  last  night  was  in  my 
power,  and  he  knew  it  as  well  as  I,  but  I 


"NOW  FOE  THE  RANCH."  91 

spared  his  life  and  allowed  him  to  ride  away 
without  a  hair  of  his  head  harmed.  Now, 
don't  you  think  he  will  feel  some  gratitude 
for  that?" 

Hazletime  threw  back  his  head  with  up 
roarious  laughter.  He  seemed  to  have  heard 
the  best  joke  of  a  twelvemonth. 

"  What  give  you  that  idee  ?"  he  asked, 
when  he  succeeded  in  mastering  his  exuberant 
mirth. 

"  Why,  the  event  itself.  I  know  that  an 
Indian  is  revengeful  by  nature,  but  I  have 
always  believed  that  he  was  capable  of  grati 
tude  for  kindness." 

"  You've  read  that  in  story-books,  but  you 
never  seed  it  in  life.  I  won't  be  quite  as 
rough  as  that,"  added  the  guide,  in  the  same 
breath;  "I  have  seen  a  redskin  that  didn't 
furgit  that  a  man  had  saved  him  from  dying 
or  being  shot,  but  such  redskins  are  as  scarce 
as  hen's  teeth.  The  rule  is  that  they  take  all 
such  kindnesses  as  signs  of  cowardice,  and 
despise  the  one  that  shows  'em.  Let  me  tell 
you  something  that  I  know,"  continued  Hazle- 
tine,  seriously.  "  Three  years  ago,  when  I 


92  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

was  down  in  Arizona,  Jim  Huber  was  the 
owner  of  the  ranch  where  I  was  working.  He 
b'leved  in  treating  Injins  kindly.  I've  seen 
him  give  the  'Paches  water  to  drink  when 
they  was  thirsty,  meat  to  eat,  'bacca  to  smoke, 
and  even  powder  and  ball  for  their  guns.  He 
kept  that  up  right  along,  and  when  he  was 
warned  agin  it,  he  said  an  Injin  was  human 
like  the  rest  of  us,  and  he  was  willing  to  take 
his  chances.  The  'Paches  wouldn't  furgit 
what  he'd  done  fur  'em. 

"Wai,  they  didn't.  The  fust  thing  we 
knowed,  Geronimo  and  a  dozen  of  his  devils 
was  off  their  reservation  and  coming  down 
through  them  parts  like  a  Kansas  cyclone. 
It  happened  that  me  and  the  boys  was  several 
miles  off  when  we  heerd  the  news,  and  know 
ing  that  Huber  was  alone  at  the  ranch,  we  rid 
like  all  mad  fur  the  place.  We  got  there  too 
late  to  save  him.  The  ranch  was  on  fire,  and 
he  was  mangled  so  we  hardly  knowed  him. 
But  he  had  died  game,  and  killed  two  of  the 
'Paches  afore  he  went  under.  The  three  laid 
aside  one  another,  and  the  two  Injins  was  the 
very  ones  that  had  set  at  his  table,  eat  of  his 


"  NOW  FOR  THE  KANCH."  93 

food,  been  given  powder  and  ball,  and  been 
treated  like  brothers." 

"  Are  all  red  men  as  bad  as  that  ?" 

"  I've  just  said  they  wasn't.  There's  lots 
of  'em  that  would  make  an  ordinary  white 
man  ashamed  of  himself.  But  most  of  'em 
are  alike.  What  I'm  driving  at  is  to  knock 
out  of  your  head  any  idee  that  this  Motoza 
that  you  let  up  on  last  night  thinks  any  more 
of  you  for  it.  It's  t'other  way.  He  despises 
you  fur  a  coward,  and  if  he  ever  gits  the 
chance  he'll  prove  what  I  say  is  true." 

This  was  depressing  information  for  the 
youths,  but  they  did  not  think  it  seeming  to 
express  any  doubts  of  the  sentiments  of  one 
who  was  so  much  better  informed  than  they. 
They  hoped  that  their  own  experience  would 
be  of  a  different  nature. 

Having  set  out  with  the  intention  of  reach 
ing  the  ranch  that  evening,  the  guide  had 
made  the  necessary  preparations.  He  rolled 
up  enough  cooked  pieces  of  veal  to  avert  the 
need  of  starting  another  fire  and  looking  for 
more  food.  So  it  came  about  that  when  the 
boys  began  to  consult  their  watches  and  hint 


94  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

of  it  being  near  meal  time,  lie  drew  rein  at 
another  stream  of  water,  where  the  ponies 
were  allowed  to  rest  and  graze  while  their 
masters  refreshed  themselves.  The  animals 
had  been  pressed  as  much  as  was  prudent ; 
and  Hazletine,  looking  at  the  sky  and  their 
surroundings,  said  they  were  making  better 
progress  than  he  had  counted  upon. 

The  weather  remained  all  that  could  be 
desired,  though  he  assured  them  that  a  heavy 
rain-storm  was  impending,  and  would  break 
within  twenty-four  hours — an  additional  in 
centive  for  pushing  forward. 

They  were  hardly  ever  out  of  sight  of  cattle. 
Sometimes  they  were  few  in  numbers,  and 
then  they  suggested  the  droves  of  buffaloes, 
which,  before  the  animals  were  extirpated, 
numbered  hundreds  of  thousands.  Once  the 
horsemen  approached  so  close  that  the  cattle 
were  frightened  and  a  partial  stampede  fol 
lowed.  That  Hazletine  was  among  acquaint 
ances  was  proved  by  the  hails  which  he  re 
ceived  from  cowmen,  most  of  whom  were  so 
distant  that  the  wonder  was  how  they  recog 
nized  one  another.  The  boys  studied  them 


"NOW  FOE  THE  RANCH."  95 

through  their  spy-glasses,  but,  of  course,  all 
were  strangers  to  them. 

When  the  afternoon  was  about  half  gone 
they  came  upon  a  stream  that  looked  formid 
able.  It  was  a  hundred  yards  in  width,  with 
a  roiled  and  rapid  current,  which,  so  far  as 
the  eye  could  determine,  might  be  a  score  of 
feet  in  depth.  The  prospect  of  having  to 
swim  their  ponies  across  was  anything  but 
pleasant,  but  the  boys  saw  that  a  well-marked 
trail  led  down  to  the  bank  where  they  ap 
proached  it,  showing  that  it  had  been  crossed 
and  recrossed  many  times. 

"There  are  places  in  that  stream,  which 
flows  into  the  Platte,"  said  the  guide,  "  where 
it  is  a  hundred  feet  deep.  It  has  whirlpools 
and  eddies  where  the  best  swimmer  couldn't 
save  himself,  and  even  a  grizzly  bear  would 
drown." 

"  I  hope  those  places  are  a  good  way  off," 
said  Jack. 

"There's  one  of  'em  right  over  there  to  the 
left." 

"How  are  we  going  to  reach  the  other 
side?"  asked  Fred,  in  dismay. 


96  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Foller  me." 

As  he  spoke  the  guide  spurred  his  animal 
into  the  muddy  water,  with  the  boys  timidly 
at  his  heels  and  closely  watching  him. 

At  no  time  during  the  fording  did  the  ponies 
sink  above  their  knees.  It  was  a  surprise  and 
vast  relief  when  they  rode  out  on  the  other 
side  without  having  been  compelled  to  draw 
up  their  feet  during  the  passage. 

"  And  yet,'7  explained  their  companion, 
"  if  you'd  gone  three  yards  to  the  right  or  left 
your  critters  would  have  had  to  swim  for  their 
lives,  and  you'd  have  had  the  worst  soaking 
you  ever  knowed.  Now  fur  the  ranch!" 


AT  THE  KANCH.  97 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

AT    THE    RANCH. 

night  was  well  advanced,  and  the 
J_  boys,  despite  their  fine  physique,  felt 
the  effects  of  the  prolonged  ride.  They  had 
come  a  goodly  distance  since  morning,  the 
tough  little  ponies  most  of  the  time  maintain 
ing  a  sweeping  canter,  which  placed  many 
miles  behind  them.  Jack  and  Fred  were 
stiffened,  tired  and  hungry,  for  no  halt  was 
made  for  supper,  it  being  the  intention  of  the 
guide  to  take  that  meal  at  the  ranch,  which 
he  meant  to  reach  before  drawing  rein. 

In  the  midst  of  the  monotonous  gallop  of 
the  animals  the  youths  were  startled  by  the 
sound  of  a  laugh,  which  suddenly  rang  out  or?, 
the  still  air.  It  was  brief  and  hearty,  such  as 
a  man  emits  who  is  highly  pleased  over  some 
thing  said  by  a  companion.  There  was  no 

moon  in  the  sky,  but   the    starlight  was  as 

7 


98  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

bright  as  on  the  previous  evening.  Peering 
ahead  in  the  gloom,  nothing  was  to  he  seen 
that  explained  the  singular  sound. 

"  Did  you  hear  that  ?"  asked  Jack  of 
Hazletine. 

"  I  s'pose  you  mean  that  laugh  ?  Not 
being  deaf,  it  would  have  been  cur'us  if  the 
same  hadn't  reached  my  ears." 

"  What  was  the  meaning  of  it  ?" 

"It  meant,  I  s'pose,  that  somebody  was 
pleased." 

The  lads  had  to  be  satisfied  with  this  in 
definite  answer,  but  they  did  not  have  to  wait 
long  for  the  explanation.  Suddenly,  from 
the  obscurity  ahead,  loomed  the  outlines  of  a 
building.  It  was  long,  low,  and  flat,  consist 
ing  of  a  single  story,  like  most  of  the  struc 
tures  in  that  section  of  the  country. 

At  the  same  moment  that  it  was  observed, 
a  tiny  point  of  light  shone  through  the 
gloom,  and  some  one  called  to  them : 

"  Is  that  you,  Hank  ?" 

"  I  reckon,"  was  the  reply. 

At  the  same  moment  a  tall  man,  rising 
from  the  stool  on  which  he  had  been  seated, 


AT  THE  EANCH.  99 

came  forward.  He  was  smoking  a  pipe,  and 
the  gleam  of  the  fire  in  the  bowl  was  what 
had  been  noted  before  he  became  visible. 

"  These  are  the  younkers  we  expected/' 
explained  Hazletine,  "  and,  if  I  ain't  mistook, 
they've  brought  a  purty  healthy  appetite 
with  'em." 

"  I've  heard  of  such  things  afore.    Howdy  ?" 

The  man,  who  was  known  as  "Kansas 
Jim,"  his  full  name  being  James  Denham, 
extended  his  hand  to  each  boy  in  turn,  and 
they  dismounted. 

"  I'll  look  after  the  animals,"  he  explained. 
"  Go  inside,  and  I  reckon  Ira  can  give  you 
some  medicine  fur  that  appetite  Hank  spoke 
about." 

Hazletine  led  the  way  to  the  small  covered 
porch  where  Ira  Garrison,  another  cattleman, 
rose  to  his  feet  and  shook  hands  with  the 
boys,  expressing  his  pleasure  at  receiving  a 
visit  from  them.  All  three  of  the  arrivals 
sat  down  at  the  front,  while  Ira  passed  inside 
and  lighted  an  oil-lamp.  It  seemed  that  he 
was  not  absent  ten  minutes  when  he  called 
out  that  the  meal  was  ready — a  most  welcome 


100  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

announcement  to  our  young  friends.  The 
three  were  quickly  seated  at  the  pine  table 
and  feasting  with  keen  enjoyment.  While 
they  were  thus  engaged,  Ira  Garrison  sat  on 
a  stool  a  few  paces  away,  smoking  his  pipe, 
and  was  soon  joined  by  Kansas  Jim,  who 
brought  the  saddles  and  belongings  of  the 
ponies  that  he  had  turned  loose  to  look  after 
their  own  wants. 

Jack  and  Fred  found  their  new  acquaint 
ances  typical  cowboys,  dressed  similarly  to 
Hazletine,  though  neither  wore  as  much  beard 
as  he.  Both  had  long  hair,  pushed  behind 
their  ears,  while  Jim  displayed  a  luxuriant 
tawny  mustache  and  goatee,  had  fine  blue 
eyes,  and  was  thin  almost  to  emaciation.  Gar 
rison  was  short  and  stockily  built,  with  a 
powerful  physique.  His  hair,  eyes  and  mus 
tache  were  as  black  as  coal.  He  had  a  fine 
set  of  even  white  teeth,  and  was  so  full  of  jest 
and  humor  that  it  was  safe  to  conclude  it  was 
something  said  by  him  that  had  caused  Jim 
to  break  into  laughter. 

The  structure,  as  has  been  said,  was  a  low, 
flat  building,  similar  to  the  majority  found  in 


AT  THE  RANCH*  10 1 

that  part  of  the  country.  It  was  made  wholly 
of  wood,  with  only  a  single  door  at  the  front, 
where  was  a  shaded  porch,  provided  with 
seats,  most  of  which  were  occupied  at  times 
by  the  cowmen  through  the  day  and  late  into 
the  night. 

There  were  five  men  employed  at  the 
ranch  in  looking  after  the  immense  herd  of 
cattle  grazing  over  the  surrounding  country 
and  acquiring  the  plumpness  and  physical 
condition  which  fitted  them  for  the  Eastern 
market.  Hank  Hazletine  was  in  charge  of 
the  four  men,  and  would  so  remain  until  the 
task  was  finished  and  the  stock  disposed  of. 
Barton  Coinjock  and  Morton  Blair  were  ab 
sent  looking  after  the  animals,  whose  wander 
ings  in  quest  of  food  sometimes  took  them 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles  from  the  house.  Most 
of  the  time,  however,  the  cattle  obtained  their 
grazing  on  the  ranch,  a  half  of  which  be 
longed  to  Mr.  Dudley,  and  which  extended 
into  the  foot-hills  of  the  Wind  Kiver  Moun 
tains. 

It  has  already  been  made  clear  that  little 
was  to  be  apprehended  from  the  hostility  of 


TWt)  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the  red  men  in  Wyoming.  Rarely  is  any 
thing  of  the  kind  known  north  of  Arizona 
and  New  Mexico,  and  in  those  Territories  it 
seldom  manifests  itself  since  the  conquest  of 
the  Apaches.  There  have  been  fierce  col 
lisions  of  late  years  between  the  cowmen  and 
rustlers  of  the  West,  and  at  one  time  there 
was  considerable  bloodshed,  but  the  quarrel 
seems  to  have  been  adjusted. 

The  reader  need  hardly  be  told  that  in  the 
new  States,  where  grazing  has  become  so  im 
portant  an  industry,  a  perfect  system  prevails 
among  the  cattlemen.  Large  associations, 
with  their  enormous  herds  of  cattle,  have 
their  own  peculiar  brands  by  which  their 
stock  is  stamped  with  their  sign  of  ownership. 
All  these  brands  are  registered,  and  the  cattle 
man  who  uses  the  same,  or  is  found  in  posses 
sion  of  cattle  with  the  brand  of  another,  is 
subject  to  a  severe  penalty. 

Comparatively  slight  friction,  therefore, 
takes  place  in  those  sections.  It  is  a  stirring 
time  when  the  wonderful  horsemen  are  en 
gaged  for  days  in  -branding  the  calves  that 
have  been  added  to  their  herds  during  the 


AT  THE  EANCH.  103 

previous  months.  Sometimes  some  of  the 
branded  cattle  wander  off  while  grazing,  but 
if  a  cattleman  from  Central  Wyoming  came 
upon  an  animal  hundreds  of  miles  north 
in  Montana,  bearing  his  brand,  he  would 
promptly  cutout  the  brute  from  another  herd, 
whose  owner  would  not  think  of  making  ob 
jection. 

It  happens  now  and  then  that  some  of  the 
cattle  stray  off  before  they  are  branded.  The 
difficulty  of  their  owners  identifying  them 
will  be  understood.  Such  cattle  are  maver 
icks,  and  whoever  comes  upon  them  loses 
little  time  in  scorching  his  brand  into  their 
shoulders  or  hips,  after  which  no  one  cares  to 
dispute  their  ownership. 

The  cowmen  whose  duty  it  was  to  look 
after  the  large  herd  browsing  over  the  thou 
sands  of  acres  composing  Bowman's  ranch 
had  two  annoyances  to  guard  against.  It  was 
their  duty,  as  may  be  said,  to  keep  the  ani 
mals  well  in  hand.  But  for  this  precaution 
hundreds  of  them  would  gradually  drift 
apart  until,  when  the  time  came  for  rounding 
them  up,  they  would  be  gone  beyond  recov- 


104  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

ery.     Great  loss,   therefore,  was   averted  by 
looking  after  them. 

A  more  aggravating  annoyance,  however, 
brings  loss  to  the  owners  of  the  herds.  De 
spite  the  stringent  law,  there  is  always  a  cer 
tain  number  of  desperate  men  who  take  peril 
ous  chances  in  stealing  cattle  and  running 
them  off  beyond  recovery  by  their  owners. 
This  practice  is  not  so  prevalent  as  formerly, 
for  since  the  brands  are  registered,  and  the 
agents  well  known  at  Cheyenne,  Helena,  and 
other  shipping-points,  the  thieves  find  it  hard 
to  explain  their  possession  of  the  carcasses 
thus  marked  and  escape  the  arrest  and  impris 
onment  provided  as  a  penalty. 

One  feature  of  this  annoyance  comes  from 
the  Indians.  By  far  the  greater  majority  of 
those  on  the  reservations  are  law-abiding. 
Under  the  patient  and  skilful  tutorship  of  the 
Government  agents  they  are  advancing  in 
civilization,  and  in  a  knowledge  of  the  trades 
and  of  agriculture.  Rarely  is  there  any 
trouble  with  them;  but  it  would  be  strange 
indeed  if,  among  these  people  riot  yet  fairly 
emerged  from  barbarism,  there  were  not  a 


AT  THE  EANCH.  105 

number  sullen  because  of  the  change,  and  who 
cling  to  the  traditions  and  practices  when  the 
Indian  looked  upon  every  white  man  as  his 
enemy,  whom  it  was  his  duty  to  kill  upon 
the  first  opportunity.  The  watchfulness  of  the 
authorities  prevents  grave  crimes,  but  no  vigi 
lance  can  keep  the  dusky  thieves  from 
stealthily  raiding  upon  the  cattle  and  prop 
erty  of  their  white  neighbors. 

One  of  the  tasks,  therefore,  of  the  cowmen 
of  Bowman's  ranch  was  to  guard  against  abo 
riginal  thieves.  Since  those  fellows  were  sure 
to  have  the  same  trouble  as  white  pilferers  in 
disposing  of  their  stolen  stock,  they  were  fond 
of  stampeding  the  cattle  when  not  under  the 
eyes  of  their  caretakers.  About  all  that  re 
sulted  from  this  amusement  was  extra  exas 
peration  and  work  on  the  part  of  the  cow 
men. 

A  more  serious  mischief  was  that  of  killing 
the  animals.  Having  satisfied  themselves 
that  they  were  safe  from  detection,  three  or 
four  Indians  would  entertain  themselves  for 
an  hour  or  two  in  shooting  down  cattle  in 
pure  wantonness,  and  then  making  off  before 


106  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

they  were  seen.  True,  this  brought  the  dusky 
scamps  no  gain,  but  it  served  as  a  partial  out 
let  for  their  enmity  of  the  white  man,  and 
that  sufficed. 

That  this  peculiar  feature  of  ranch  life 
sometimes  assumed  grave  phases  was  proved 
by  several  narrations  made  by  the  cowmen 
to  the  boys  on  their  first  night  at  the  ranch. 
Less  than  a  year  previous,  Kansas  Jim  shot 
from  his  horse  an  Indian  whom  he  caught 
killing  his  cattle;  and,  not  many  months  pre 
vious,  the  five  cowmen,  under  the  leadership 
of  Hank  Hazletine,  had  a  running  fight  for 
half  an  afternoon  with  a  dozen  Bannocks,  en 
gaged  in  the  same  sport.  At  that  time  Bar 
ton  Coinjock  and  Kansas  Jim  were  severely 
wounded,  but  three  of  the  marauders  were 
slain,  and  the  mischief  nearly  ended  for  a 
time. 

But  Jack  and  Fred  were  tired,  and,  though 
interested  in  the  reminiscences  of  the  cowboys, 
they  longed  for  rest.  The  house  consisted  of 
four  rooms,  one  being  generally  reserved  for 
visitors  or  to  serve  as  a  spare  apartment.  This 
contained  a  wooden  bedstead  and  some  simple 


AT  THE  RANCH.  107 

furniture,  for  luxuries  are  not  popular  on 
cattle-ranches.  Surely  no  bed  ever  felt  more 
luxurious,  however,  than  the  blankets  upon 
which  the  wearied  youths  flung  themselves, 
sinking  almost  immediately  into  deep,  dream 
less  sleep.  There  were  no  wolves  or  dog  In 
dians  to  guard  against  now,  and  their  sense 
of  security  was  as  strong  as  if  in  their  own 
beds  at  home. 

The  night  was  well  past,  when  both  lads 
were  awakened  by  the  sound  of  rain  pattering 
upon  the  roof,  which,  although.they  were  on 
the  ground  floor,  was  but  a  brief  space  above 
their  heads.  The  storm  foretold  by  Hank 
Hazletine  had  come. 

There  are  few  sounds  more  soothing  at 
night  than  the  falling  of  rain- drops  upon  the 
shingles  over  one's  head,  but  in  the  present 
instance  the  music  was  anything  but  welcome 
to  Jack  and  Fred.  It  meant  that  there  could 
be  no  hunting  on  the  morrow,  and  probably 
not  for  several  days.  Their  time  in.  Wyo 
ming  was  so  limited  that  they  begrudged  an 
hour  of  enforced  idleness. 

"  But  what's  the  use  of  kicking  ?"  asked 


108  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Fred,  after  they  had  fully  discussed  the  sit 
uation  ;  "  it  can't  be  helped." 

Nevertheless,  they  condoled  with  each  other 
for  some  time,  until,  lulled  by  the  gentle  pat 
ter,  they  floated  off  once  more  into  the  land 
of  Nod,  from  which  they  did  not  emerge  un 
til  morning. 

The  first  doleful  fact  that  impressed  them 
was  that  it  was  still  raining.  A  peep  through 
the  single  front  window  with  which  their  room 
was  provided  showed  the  dull  leaden  sky,  with 
its  infinite  reservoir,  from  which  the  drops 
were  descending  in  streams  that  bid  fair  to 
last  for  days  and  weeks.  The  air  was  chilly, 
and  the  wood  fire  burning  in  the  adjoining 
room  was  grateful. 

The  boys  were  surprised  by  a  characteristic 
fact.  At  some  time  previous  to  their  emerging 
from  their  sleeping-room  Jim  and  Ira  had  de 
parted  to  take  their  turn  in  looking  after  the 
cattle,  while  Bart  and  Mort,  as  they  were 
called,  had  come  in  to  spend  the  day  and  night 
at  the  building.  When  they  saw  the  boys 
they  greeted  them  pleasantly  and  conversed 
for  some  time.  Blair  showed  himself  a  man 


AT  THE  KANCH.  109 

of  education,  and  it  came  out  afterward  that 
he  was  a  college  graduate,  who,  having  been 
threatened  with  pulmonary  trouble,  had  gone 
to  Arizona  and  engaged  in  the  cattle  business. 
The  experiment  wrought  a  cure,  and  he  was 
now  one  of  the  sturdiest  of  the  five  men,  not 
afraid  to  face  the  more  rigorous  climate  of  the 
North  and  to  expose  himself  to  all  sorts  of 
weather.  It  was  a  surprise,  indeed,  to  Jack 
Dudley  and  Fred  Greenwood,  in  the  course 
of  the  day,  when  the  conversation  happened 
to  drift  to  the  subject  of  higher  mathematics, 
to  find  this  cowboy  could  give  them  instruc 
tion  in  the  most  abstruse  problems  they  had 
ever  attempted  to  solve.  Thus,  although  they 
would  have  preferred  to  be  away  on  a  hunt, 
they  found  the  time  less  monotonous  than  an 
ticipated. 

"  This  will  let  up  afore  night,"  said  Hank, 
much  to  the  delight  of  his  young  visitors, 
"and  to-morrow  will  be  clear." 

"  I  hope  it  will  last  several  days,"  ventured 
Fred. 

"  So  it  will,"  remarked  the  cowman,  with 
that  air  of  assurance  which  showed  he  was 


110  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

more    reliable  than  the  Government  in  his 
forecasts  of  the  weather. 

Hazletine  examined  the  Winchester  repeat- 
ing-rifles  of  the  boys  with  great  care.  He 
pronounced  them  excellent  weapons,  as  were 
the  Smith  &  Wesson  revolvers  with  which 
they  were  furnished. 

"Your  outfit  is  all  right,"  he  said,  "but  it 
remains  to  be  seed  whether  you  know  how  to 
handle  'em." 

"  We  cannot  claim  to  be  skilful,"  was  the 
modest  remark  of  Jack,  "  but  we  have  had 
some  experience  at  home,  though  when 
we  hunted  there  it  was  mostly  with  shot 
guns." 

"The  main  thing,  younker,  is  not  to  git 
rattled.  Now,  if  you  happen  to  see  old 
Ephraim  sailing  for  you,  all  you  have  to  do 
is  to  make  your  aim  sure  and  let  him  have  it 
between  the  eyes,  or  just  back  of  the  foreleg; 
or,  if  you  don't  have  the  chance  to  do  that, 
plug  him  in  the  chest,  where  there's  a  chance 
of  reaching  his  heart." 

By  "  old  Ephraim  "  the  hunter  referred  to 
the  grizzly  bear,  as  the  boys  knew. 


AT  THE  RANCH.  Ill 

"  I  have  heard  that  it  generally  takes  sev 
eral  shots  to  kill  a  grizzly." 

1  That's  'cause  the  bullets  are  not  put  in 
the  right  place.  You  see,  old  Ephraim  don't 
take  any  trouble  to  give  you  a  better  show 
than  he  has  to,  and  you  must  look  out  fur 
yourself." 

"  There  are  other  kinds  of  bears  in  Wy 
oming?" 

"Bather — several  of  'em.  For  instance, 
there's  the  cinnamon,  which,  in  my  'pinion, 
is  about  as  bad  as  Ephraim.  I've  fit  both 
kinds,  and  the  one  that  left  that  big  scar  down 
the  side  of  my  cheek  and  chawed  a  piece  out 
of  my  thigh  was  a  cinnamon,  while  I  never 
got  a  scratch  that  'mounted  to  anything  from 
Ephraim." 

"  What  about  the  black  bear  ?" 

"  He's  less  dangerous  than  any  of  'em.  A 
black  bear  ain't  much  more  than  a  big  dog. 
Last  fall  I  killed  one  with  my  revolver." 

"  What  other  kinds  of  game  are  we  likely 
to  meet  ?" 

"  Wai,  it  would  be  hard  to  name  'em  all. 
There's  the  deer  and  antelope,  of  course,  which 


112  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

you  find  in  all  parts  of  the  West.  Then 
there's  the  mountain  lion,  that  is  fond  of 
living  on  beef." 

"  I  never  saw  one  of  the  creatures." 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  the  Eastern  panther?" 
asked  Garrison. 

"  No ;  though  they  used  to  be  plentiful  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  State  of  New  York." 

"  Well,  the  mountain  lion  is  the  same  ani 
mal.  Our  climate  and  conditions  have  made 
some  changes  in  his  appearance  and  habits, 
but  there  is  no  doubt  the  two  are  identical." 

"  There's  one  kind  of  game  that  I  wish  we 
could  meet,"  resumed  Hazletine,  "  but  they've 
got  so  scarce  that  I  haven't  seen  one  fur  three 
years.  That's  the  big-horn  sheep." 

"  He  seems  to  be  disappearing  from  certain 
sections,  like  the  buffalo  from  the  country," 
remarked  Garrison. 

"There's  plenty  of  'em  in  the  mountains 
of  Arizona  and  old  Mexico,  and  I've  no  doubt 
there's  thousands  of  'em  in  the  Wind  River 
and  other  parts  of  the  Rockies,  but  it's  mighty 
hard  to  find  'em.  Then  there's  the  black 
wolf." 


AT  THE  EANCH.  113 

"Is  he  fiercer  than  the  gray  one?'7 

"He's  ten  times  worse.  Whenever  he 
meets  the  gray  wolf  he  tears  him  to  smither 
eens.  You  never  seen  a  wolf  of  any  kind 
that  wasn't  as  hungry  as  you  younkers  was 
yesterday." 

"He  couldn't  be  any  hungrier,"  said  Fred, 
with  a  laugh. 

"  I  have  knowed  one  of  them  critters  to 
foller  a  steamboat  down  the  upper  Missouri 
fur  two  days  and  nights,  howling  and  watch 
ing  fur  a  chance  to  git  something  to  eat." 

"  The  buffaloes  have  disappeared." 

"The  right  name  of  the  animal  is  the 
bison,"  suggested  Garrison  ;  "  they  have  been 
slaughtered  in  pure  wantonness.  It  is  a  crime, 
the  way  in  which  they  have  been  extirpated." 

"  There  are  a  few  of  'em  left,  deep  among 
the  mountains,"  said  Hazletine,  "where  no 
one  has  happened  to  find  'em,  but  it  won't  be 
long  afore  they'll  all  be  wiped  out.  Do  you 
know,"  he  added,  indignantly,  "that  last 
year  our  boys  found  a  herd  of  eighteen  buf 
faloes  some  miles  back  in  the  mountains. 
Wai,  sir,  we  was  that  tickled  that  we  made 


114  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

up  our  minds  to  watch  'em  and  see  that  they 
wasn't  interfered  with.  We  kept  track  of 
'em  purty  well  till  their  number  had  growed 
to  twenty-four.  Then  one  afternoon  a  party 
of  gentlemen  hunters,  as  they  called  them 
selves,  from  the  States,  stumbled  onto  'em. 
Wai,  as  true  as  I'm  a  settin'  here,  they 
s'rounded  that  herd  and  never  stopped  shoot 
ing  till  they  killed  every  one  of  'em  !" 

The  cowman  was  so  angry  that  he  smoked 
savagely  at  his  pipe  for  a  minute  in  silence. 
His  friends  shared  his  feelings,  and  Kansas 
Jim  remarked : 

"Hank  and  me  hunted  two  days  fur  them 
folks,  and  if  we'd  have  got  the  chance  to  draw 
bead  on  'em  not  all  of  'em  would  have  got  home. 
Why,  the  rapscallions  just  shot  the  whole 
twenty -four,  and  left  'em  laying  on  the  ground. 
They  didn't  even  take  their  hides.  If  there 
ever  was  such  a  thing  as  murder  that  was." 

"  Yes,"  assented  Garrison  ;  "  and  although 
the  Government  is  doing  all  it  can  to  protect 
the  few  in  Yellowstone  Park,  somebody  is 
continually  shooting  into  the  herd.  The 
bison  will  soon  be  an  extinct  animal." 


AT  THE  EANCH.  115 

"  It's  too  bad,  but  I  don't  see  that  we  can 
help  it,"  observed  Hazletine,  rousing  himself; 
"there's  plenty  of  other  game  left,  and  it'll 
last  longer  than  any  of  us,  but  it  don't  make 
the  killing  of  the  buffaloes  any  better.  We're 
likely  to  find  a  good  many  animals  that  I 
haven't  told  you  'bout  and  that  I  don't  think 
of." 

"  How  is  it,  Hank,  that  you  don't  keep  any 
dogs?" 

"'Cause  they're  no  use.  The  hunters  from 
the  East  seern  to  think  they  must  have  a  dozen 
or  more  sniffing  at  their  heels,  but  I  don't 
like  'em.  We  had  a  big  hound  a  couple  of 
years  ago  that  I  took  with  me  on  a  hunt 
The  first  critter  we  scared  up  was  a  cinnamon 
bear,  and  that  dog  hadn't  any  more  sense  than 
to  go  straight  for  him.  Wai,"  grinned 
Hank,  "  we  haven't  had  any  dog  since  that 
time." 


116  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE    FIRST    GAME. 

IT  was  an  ideal  day  for  hunting  among  the 
mountains.  The  sun  shone  from  an  un 
clouded  sky,  and  the  air  had  just  enough 
crispness  to  make  exercise  enjoyable.  In 
short,  it  was  a  perfect  copy  of  that  day  which 
saw  the  V.  W.  W.  start  from  Fort  Steele  on 
their  long  ride  northward  to  Bowman's 
ranch. 

The  other  cowmen  would  have  been  glad 
to  join  in  the  hunt,  but  they  could  not  be 
spared  from  duty.  Thus  it  came  about  that, 
as  in  the  first  instance,  Hank  Hazletine  was 
the  guide  and  only  companion  of  Jack  Dud 
ley  and  Fred  Greenwood  on  that  which  was 
destined  to  prove  the  most  memorable  hunt 
of  their  lives. 

The  three  had  ridden  briskly  through  a 
part  of  the  foot-hills  until  they  reached  the 


THE  FIEST  GAME.  117 

more  elevated  portion,  when  the  hunter  led 
the  way  up  a  winding  trail  until,  early  in  the 
afternoon,  they  arrived  at  what  may  be  called 
the  limit  of  "  horse  navigation,"  which  is  to 
say  their  ponies  could  give  them  no  more 
help,  since  the  way  was  too  broken  for  them 
to  climb  further. 

Accordingly  the  three  dismounted  and  re 
moved  all  the  trappings  of  the  animals.  Ha- 
zletine  was  so  familiar  with  the  country  that 
he  came  to  this  favored  spot  without  mistake 
or  hesitation.  It  was  a  broad,  irregular  in- 
closure,  in  the  form  of  a  grassy  plateau,  where 
grass  grew  abundantly,  and  was  walled  in  on 
nearly  every  side  by  immense  rocks  and 
boulders.  A  tiny  stream  of  icy  water  wound 
along  one  side,  disappearing  at  a  corner  among 
the  rocks,  which  were  so  craggy  and  eccentric 
in  their  formation  that  a  cavity  or  partial 
cavern  was  found,  in  which  the  party  placed 
their  bridles,  saddles  and  blankets,  and  which 
was  capable  of  giving  them  shelter  against 
the  most  furiously  driving  rain-storm. 

"Surely  we  couldn't  have  found  a  better 
spot  if  we  had  hunted  for  a  month,''  said 


118  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Jack,  admiringly   surveying   their  surround 


ings. 


1  This  is  to  be  our  headquarters,"  explained 
Hazletine,  "during  the  few  days  or  the  week 
that  we  spend  in  hunting  here." 

"  You  mean  that  we  are  to  spend  each  night 
in  this  place  ?" 

The  guide  nodded  his  head. 

"  I  don't  know  of  any  better  arrangement," 
said  Fred ;  "  we  can  gather  enough  wood  to 
keep  a  fire  going,  and,  if  rain  should  set  in, 
shall  have  as  good  shelter  as  if  in  the  house 
on  the  ranch." 

"That's  it;  and  you  mustn't  furgit  one 
thing,"  added  Hazletine;  "  we  fetched  along 
just  'nough  stuff  fur  dinner.  We  haven't  any 
thing  left  fur  supper.  None  of  the  cattle  git 
this  fur  into  the  mountains,  so  we  can't  count 
on  them.  Therefore,  we've  the  ch'ice  atween 
shooting  game  or  -starving  to  death." 

"  That's  enough  to  make  us  all  do  our  best, 
but  we  cannot  suffer  so  long  as  we  have  you 
for  our  companion." 

"  But  you  ain't  going  to  have  me  fur  your 
companion." 


THE  FIRST  GAME.  119 

"  The  boys  stared  at  their  friend  in  aston 
ishment.  He  explained : 

"  There  ain't  much  show  fur  three  persons 
to  find  game  as  long  as  they  stick  together. 
The  right  way  is  fur  'em  all  to  part  and  each 
keep  it  up  on  his  own  hook.  A  chap  isn't 
in  half  the  danger  of  being  seen  by  the  deer 
or  sheep,  or  whatever  it  may  be  he's  after ;  and 
he  has  the  chance,  too,  to  show  what  stuff  he's 
made  of." 

"  Then  you  intend  to  leave  us  ?" 
"  You've  hit  it  the  first  time.    I'll  start  out 
on  my  own  bus'ness,  meaning  to  be  back  here 
while  the  night's  young." 

Observing   significant    looks    passing    be 
tween  the  boys,  the  man  hastened  to  add : 

"  Now,  don't  you  folks  make  the  mistake 
of  thinking  I'll  get  your  supper  fur  you,  fur 
I  don't  mean  to  do  nothing  of  the  kind.  I 
don't  intend  to  do  any  hunting,  but  to  git 
away  from  you  so  as  to  let  you  have  the 
chance.  I  don't  say  that  if  a  big  horn  or  a 
antelope  or  buck  walks  up  in  front  of  me  and 
asks  me  to  take  a  shy  at  him  that  I  won't  pop 
him  over,  though  some  folks  that  I  know 


120  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

wouldn't  do  the  same  if  the  buck  happened 
to  be  a  two-legged  one;  but  such  things  don't 
often  happen ;  and,  if  you  don't  fetch  in  any 
game,  them  appetites  of  your'n  are  likely  to 
bother  you  as  much  as  they  did  t'other  day 
when  we  was  riding  from  the  fort." 

"  Do  you  wish  Fred  and  me  to  part  com 
pany?" 

Hank's  eyes  twinkled  and  a  quizzical  ex 
pression  lit  up  that  part  of  his  countenance 
which  was  visible. 

"  Twouldn't  be  safe." 

"  Why  not  ?" 

"  You'd  each  take  the  other  fur  a  wild 
donkey  and  plug  him  afore  you  found  out 
the  mistake,  which  the  same  wouldn't  be  such 
a  mistake  after  all." 

The  boys  could  well  afford  to  laugh  at  the 
pleasantry  of  the  man  who,  it  was  evident, 
felt  a  partiality  for  them.  He  added,  more 
seriously : 

'You'd  have  more  show  to  shoot  game  if 
you  parted,  but  I'd  not  advise  you  to  do  it 
till  after  you've  hunted  for  some  days  to 
gether.  It's  mighty  easy  for  younkers  like 


THE  FIRST  GAME.  121 

you  to  git  lost  in  these  mountains.  You  must 
keep  your  bearings,  so  it  won't  be  any  trouble 
fur  you  to  find  your  way  back  to  this  spot 
when  it's  dark.  If  you  happen  to  catch  sight 
of  any  game,  try  to  not  let  it  see  you  till  you 
git  a  fair  shot  at  it;  and  there  ain't  much  good 
in  wounding  a  critter  in  these  parts,  fur  it's 
sure  to  git  away  from  you." 

After  some  further  instructions,  Hank  bade 
his  young  friends  good -by  and  left  them.  He 
strode  off  in  the  direction  of  the  trail  over 
which  they  had  come  to  reach  this  interesting 
spot  in  the  mountains,  and  disappeared  with 
out  once  looking  back  to  see  what  they  were 
doing. 

It  was  odd  thus  to  be  left  alone  in  this  wild 
region,  and  the  chums  looked  in  each  other's 
face  with  smiles.  It  certainly  was  a  curious 
experience  to  be  set  down  in  one  of  the 
greatest  mountain  spurs  of  the  West,  and 
to  be  told  that  now  they  must  take  care 
of  themselves.  It  was  like  being  cast  into 
deep  water  and  ordered  to  choose  between 
swimming  and  drowning. 

"It's   just  as  well,"    said   Jack,    "or  he 


122  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

wouldn't  have  done  it.  Surely  the  V.  W.  W. 
ought  to  be  able  to  take  care  of  ourselves,  with 
our  repeaters  and  pistols.  There's  nothing 
to  be  feared  from  wild  animals,  or  he  would 
have  warned  us." 

"It  strikes  me  that  the  most  important 
thing  to  do  is  to  keep  our  bearings,  for  if  we 
should  happen  to  lose  our  way  it  would  go 
hard  with  us." 

"  We  took  care  to  bring  spy-glasses,  as  well 
as  everything  else  that  we  thought  we  were 
likely  to  need,  but  forgot  about  a  compass, 
which  may  be  worth  all  the  rest." 

"Well,  we  must  be  careful  not  to  stray  too 
far  until  we  become  familiar  with  the  coun 
try.  Let's  not  delay  our  start." 

The  plateau  where  their  ponies  were  crop 
ping  the  grass  was  several  acres  in  extent, 
nearly  half  of  it  sloping  abruptly ;  but  the 
grass  was  abundant  enough  to  furnish  the 
animals  with  all  they  could  need,  no  matter 
how  long  they  stayed,  since  it  had  plenty  of 
opportunity  to  renew  itself. 

Side  by  side  the  boys  moved  across  the 
space,  the  ponies  not  raising  their  heads  to 


THE  FIEST  GAME.  123 

look  at  them,  as  they  passed  near.  Instead 
of  following  the  course  taken  by  their  guide 
they  bore  to  the  right,  but  at  the  same  time 
proceeded  nearly  westward,  which  led  them 
deeper  into  the  mountains.  Remembering 
the  caution  of  their  friend  they  studied  the 
landmarks  around  them,  in  the  hope  of  not 
losing  their  way  when  it  should  become  time 
to  return  to  camp. 

When  fairly  clear  of  the  plateau,  where 
they  must  have  been  at  a  considerable  eleva 
tion  above  the  sea,  they  found  the  way  so 
rough  that  travelling  became  a  task.  There 
was  nothing  in  the  nature  of  a  path  or  trail 
to  follow,  and  they  were  compelled  to  pass 
around  boulders  and  rocks,  sometimes  turning 
back  and  retracing  their  steps,  and  making 
long  detours,  so  as  to  flank  impassable  chasms. 
All  this  tended  to  confuse  their  knowledge  of 
the  points  of  the  compass,  but  they  did  not 
forget  to  note  everything  that  could  serve  as 
a  guide,  and  were  confident  of  finding  their 
way  whenever  it  should  become  necessary  to 
return. 

Most  of  the  time  Jack  Dudley  was  in  the 


124  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

lead,  for  it  was  not  easy  to  walk  beside  each 
other.  He  was  perhaps  a  half-dozen  paces 
in  advance  of  Fred,  when  he  abruptly  stopped 
with  an  exclamation  of  affright. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  asked  his  friend,  hardly  less 
startled. 

"  Look  at  that !" 

He  pointed  downward,  almost  at  his  feet. 
Still  unaware  of  what  he  meant,  Fred  stepped 
guardedly  forward  to  his  side. 

There  was  good  cause,  indeed,  for  the  alarm 
of  the  elder,  for  he  had  checked  himself  on 
the  edge  of  a  ravine  or  canyon  fully  a  thousand 
feet  deep.  One  step  further  and  he  would 
have  dropped  into  eternity. 

The  peculiar  formation  of  the  canyon  ac 
counted  for  this  peril.  The  chasm  was  barely 
a  dozen  feet  wide,  but  the  other  side  was  de 
pressed,  so  that  it  was  not  noticed  by  the 
youth  until  on  the  edge  of  the  danger.  The 
walls  were  of  solid  rock,  showing  the  numer 
ous  strata  of  sandstone  and  other  formations, 
worn  so  unevenly  that  it  looked  possible  for  a 
person  to  use  them  as  stairs  in  climbing  the 
sides.  Pausing  on  the  edge  and  peering  cau- 


THE  FIRST  GAME.  125 

tiously  down  the  dizzy  steep,  the  youths  could 
see  a  stream  of  water,  winding  its  course  far 
down  at  the  bottom,  where  the  roughness  of 
its  bed  churned  it  into  foam,  and  gave  it  the 
appearance  of  a  white  ribbon  that  had  been 
strung  along  the  course.  The  murmur  was 
so  soft  and  faint  that  at  times  they  were  not 
sure  they  heard  it,  and  when  it  reached  their 
ears  the  voice  of  the  distant  ocean  was  sug 
gested. 

A  striking  feature  of  this  phenomenon  was 
the  exceeding  narrowness  of  the  canyon.  It 
has  been  stated  that  directly  opposite  to  where 
the  boys  had  halted  it  was  scarcely  a  dozen 
feet  wide,  and  there  were  places  in  sight  with 
the  width  still  less,  though  most  of  it  was 
greater.  The  ages  that  it  had  taken  this 
stream  to  erode  such  a  bed  for  itself  was 
beyond  imagination. 

"Jack,"  said  his  companion,  with  that 
elasticity  of  spirits  natural  to  one  of  his  years, 
"  if  you  had  pitched  down  there,  how  in  the 
world  could  I  have  pulled  you  up  to  the  top 
again  ?" 

"  Why  would  you  wish  to  do  that  ?" 


126  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Well,  you  would  have  been  pretty  well 
bruised  and  would  have  needed  help." 

"  Possibly ;  but  I  wonder  whether  there  are 
many  such  pit-holes  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
It  resembles  the  fissures  in  the  mountains  of 
ice  which  I  have  read  that  the  Arctic  ex 
plorers  sometimes  find." 

However,  since  the  youths  were  on  one  side 
of  the  canyon,  naturally  they  were  seized  with 
the  belief  that  it  was  necessary  immediately 
to  place  themselves  on  the  other  side.  Why 
it  was  so  they  would  have  found  hard  to  ex 
plain,  but  they  were  unanimous  on  the  point; 
and,  since  there  was  but  the  single  method  of 
crossing  the  chasm,  they  set  out  to  find  it. 

"  It  looks  narrower  over  there  to  the  left," 
said  Jack,  turning  in  that  direction. 

He  did  not  have  to  go  far  when  he  paused, 
where  the  width  was  barely  six  feet — not 
enough  to  afford  much  of  a  leap  for  sturdy 
lads  of  their  years. 

"  That's  easy,"  added  Jack,  measuring  it 
with  his  eye. 

"  You  must  remember  one  thing,  Jack. 
There's  something  in  the  air  of  this  part  of 


THE  FIRST  GAME.  127 

the  world  which  makes  a  mile  look  no  more 
than  a  few  hundred  yards.  Suppose  that 
that  other  bank  is  fifty  feet  off!" 

It  was  an  alarming  thought,  and  Jack  re 
coiled  as  if  again  on  the  edge  of  the  brink. 
But  he  was  quick  to  see  the  absurdity  of  the 
idea. 

"  If  that  is  so,  then  the  canyon  must  be  sev 
eral  miles  deep.  But  we  would  better  make 


sure." 


It  was  easy  to  do  this.  Hunting  around 
until  a  chip  from  one  of  the  boulders  was 
found,  Jack  tossed  it  across  the  abyss.  It  fell 
as  he  expected,  proving  that,  wonderfully  de 
ceptive  as  is  the  atmosphere  of  the  West,  it 
cannot  mislead  in  instances  like  that  which 
confronted  them. 

"  That  makes  it  right.  I  am  not  afraid  to 
make  the  leap  ;  are  you  ?" 

"  Not  a  bit ;  but  wait." 

Near  them  lay  a  stone,  so  large  that  it  re 
quired  their  united  strength  to  move  it.  By 
hard  work  they  rolled  it  to  the  edge  of  the 
canyon  and  tumbled  it  over,  carefully  watching 
its  descent.  A  curious  thing  followed.  At 


128  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

first  it  shot  straight  downward  for  a  hundred 
feet,  when  it  impinged  against  a  projecting 
point  of  the  mountain  wall,  knocked  the  frag 
ments  in  every  direction,  as  if  it  were  a  ball 
fired  from  a  thousand-pounder,  and  bounded 
against  the  opposite  side,  further  down,  scat 
tering  fragments  again.  By  this  time  it  had 
achieved  an  almost  inconceivable  momentum, 
and  was  shooting  downward  at  a  terrific  rate. 

In  the  depths  of  this  narrow  canyon,  where 
the  sunlight  never  penetrated  for  more  than  a 
few  minutes  at  a  time,  it  was  always  twilight. 
At  the  bottom  it  was  almost  dark,  so  that  the 
stream  would  hardly  have  been  visible  but 
for  its  yeasty  foam.  At  some  point  near  the 
base,  when  the  flinty  stone  was  speeding  for 
ward  like  a  meteor,  it  abraded  a  harder  por 
tion  than  before.  Instantly  a  stream  of  fire 
shot  out,  such  as  sometimes  flashes  from  a 
murky  cloud  in  the  sky,  and,  as  if  it  were  an 
echo  of  the  impact,  the  splash  and  thunder 
ous  thump  were  heard  by  the  boys  at  the  top. 

It  was  a  tempting  theme  for  the  imagina 
tion,  but  they  were  too  practical  to  linger. 
Having  agreed  that  the  canyon  could  be  readily 


THE  FIRST  GAME.  129 

jumped,  they  did  not  hesitate.  Eunning  a 
few  steps,  Jack  Dudley  cleared  the  passage 
and  landed  on  the  other  side,  with  several 
feet  to  spare.  He  did  not  take  the  trouble 
to  toss  his  rifle  in  advance,  but  kept  it  in  his 
hand. 

"I  had  a  queer  feeling,"  he  said,  as  Fred 
joined  him,  "when  I  was  right  over  the 
middle  of  the  canyon,  and  knew,  if  I  had  made 
any  miscalculation,  I  should  never  stop  until 
pretty  well  down  toward  the  centre  of  the 
earth." 

"  It  doesn't  take  long  to  do  a  deal  of  think 
ing  at  such  time,  but  what  bothered  me  was 
whether  I  was  going  to  make  as  good  a  jump 
as  you.  I  believe  I  beat  you  by  two  or  three 
inches." 

"  You  wouldn't  have  done  it  if  I  had  tried. 
But,  Fred,  since  we  are  on  this  side  of  that 
split  in  the  mountain,  we  have  got  to  jump  it 
again  to  get  back  to  camp." 

"  And  we  must  manage  to  do  it  before  dark, 
for  it  isn't  safe  to  take  chances  where  there  is 
so  much  variance  in  the  width." 

"  Fact  of  it  is,"  remarked  Jack,  expressing 

9 


130  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

that  which  had  been  clear  to  both  from  the 
first,  "  there  was  no  need  of  our  jumping  it 
at  all.  But  we  are  here,  and  must  make  the 
best  of  it.  It's  time  we  found  some  game." 

And  Jack  looked  sharply  around,  as  if  he 
expected  to  see  a  fat  deer  or  big  horn  step  for 
ward  and  sacrifice  himself  for  their  good. 

But  they  were  more  fortunate  than  they 
were  warranted  in  expecting.  While  survey 
ing  the  rocks  and  heights  which  seemed  to 
wall  them  in,  Fred  exclaimed : 

"  There's  our  game !" 

He  pointed  to  a  cliff  fully  two  hundred 
yards  distant,  and  of  half  that  height.  On 
this  projecting  ledge  stood  a  noble  buck,  with 
antlers  and  head  raised,  while  he  seemed  to 
be  gazing  over  the  wild  expanse  of  country 
below  him.  They  knew  he  was  a  fine  animal, 
though  the  distance  made  him  appear  dimin 
utive. 

"  I  wonder  if  he  sees  us  ?"  said  Jack  in  a 
whisper,  as  if  afraid  of  being  overheard. 

"  If  he  does,  he  knows  we  are  too  far  off  to 
harm  him." 

The  next    instant    the  boys  had  unslung 


"  On  the  projecting  ledge  stood  a  noble  buck." 


THE  FIRST  GAME.  131 

their  glasses  and  leveled  them  at  the  fellow, 
who  formed  a  striking  picture,  as  he  stood  out 
in  bold  relief,  with  his  spreading  antlers,  his 
fine  head,  and  his  brown,  sinewy  limbs.  The 
next  remark  by  Jack  may  not  have  been  ro 
mantic,  but  it  was  characteristic  : 

"  What  a  fine  meal  he  will  make  for  us  I" 

"  Provided  we  can  secure  him.  We  must 
get  a  good  deal  nearer." 

"  Our  rifles  will  carry  a  bullet  that  far." 

"No  doubt;  but  if  we  hit  him  he  would 
be  only  slightly  wounded  and  would  make  off. 
We  must  go  closer." 

This  necessity  was  self-evident,  but  the 
task  was  certain  to  be  a  difficult  one.  As  they 
approached  the  animal  they  were  likely  to 
expose  themselves  to  his  keen  gaze,  when  he 
would  disappear  on  the  instant. 

"Remember  what  Hank  said.  There  is 
twice  the  chance  for  one  that  there  is  for  two. 
I'll  stay  here,  Fred,  while  you  go  on.  If  I 
see  him  move* I'll  try  it,  and  you  must  do  the 
same.  Between  us,  we  may  bring  him  down." 

The  plan  was  acted  upon.  It  was  agreed 
that  Fred  should  steal  as  near  to  the  buck  as 


132  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

possible,  in  the  hope  of  securing  him,  while 
Jack  should  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  make 
a  shot,  with  precious  little  prospect  of  suc 
cess. 

If  the  game  would  maintain  his  position  it 
looked  as  if  there  was  a  good  prospect  of  the 
younger  lad  getting  within  shooting  distance, 
for  the  way  was  so  rugged,  and  offered  so  many 
opportunities  for  screening  his  approach,  that 
he  did  not  believe  he  would  be  detected  if  he 
used  proper  care.  Meanwhile  Jack  took  posi 
tion  behind  the  nearest  boulder,  where  he 
could  keep  an  eye  on  the  animal  and  it  was 
impossible  for  the  latter  to  see  him. 

Fred  was  lost  to  sight  almost  immediately. 
He  grew  so,  anxious  as  the  interval  decreased 
that  he  trembled,  and  it  was  hard  to  fight  off 
an  attack  of  what  is  called  "  buck  fever,"  and 
which  is  fatal  to  the  best  hunter ;  but  by  and 
by  his  nerves  settled,  and  he  became  as  cool 
and  self-possessed  as  Hank  Hazletine  himself 
would  have  been  under  the  circumstances. 
t  It  seemed  improbable  that  the  buck  would 
wait  where  he  was,  even  if  not  alarmed,  for 
the  time  necessary  to  afford  a  good  shot  for 


THE  FIEST  GAME.  133 

his  enemy.  It  was  some  whim  that  had  led 
him  out  upon  the  top  of  the  towering  bluff, 
where  he  was  in  view  of  the  young  hunters. 
It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  his  kind  appre 
ciate  such  a  thing  as  beauty  in  a  landscape  or 
scene  spread  before  them,  and  yet  the  action 
of  the  buck  almost  indicated  something  of 
that  nature ;  for  he  stood  motionless,  minute 
after  minute,  as  if  absorbed,  and  suggesting  a 
statue  carved  from  the  rock  itself. 

Foot  by  foot  Fred  Greenwood  stole  forward, 
crouching  behind  boulders,  creeping  beside 
immense  rocks  which  shut  him  from  the 
gaze  of  the  watchful  animal,  until  with  a 
rapidly  beating  heart  he  whispered  : 

"  I'm  near  enough  to  try  a  shot." 

He  was  making  ready,  when  he  observed  a 
well-screened  point  a  few  rods  in  advance, 
which  impressed  him  as  the  right  place.  Once 
there,  he  could  ask  no  better  opportunity  to 
test  his  skill.  Was  it  safe  to  wait  a  minute  or 
two  longer  ?  Yes,  he  would  make  the  attempt. 

With  infinite  care,  and  holding  his  nerves 
in  superb  control,  he  worked  his  way  to  the 
spot  without  alarming  the  buck. 


1"34  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LOOK    BEFORE    YOU    LEAP. 

ROUGHING  behind  the  friendly  boul- 
\J  der,  Fred  Greenwood  rested  the  barrel 
of  his  Winchester  upon  it  and  took  careful 
aim  at  the  buck,  which  seemed  scarcely  to 
have  moved  from  the  moment  he  was  seen  by 
the  youths.  That  he  maintained  his  pose 
thus  long  was  certainly  remarkable,  and  the 
fact  was  due  to  a  cause  suspected  by  neither 
of  the  boys. 

That  the  antelope  has  the  bump  of  curiosity 
developed  to  a  most  amazing  degree  is  well 
known.  It  is  this  peculiarity  which  has 
proved  fatal  to  the  animals  in  numberless 
instances.  The  curiosity  of  the  cervus  spe 
cies,  while  much  less,  sometimes  manifests 
itself  in  an  extraordinary  fashion.  Fred 
Greenwood  managed  his  approach  with  so 
much  skill  that  he  was  not  noticed  ;  but  his 


LOOK  BEFORE  YOU  LEAP.         135 

comrade,  further  away,  was  seen  by  the  vigi 
lant  animal,  when  Jack,  becoming  impatient 
over  the  delay,  began  the  attempt  to  follow 
him.  The  sight  of  the  young  hunter  startled 
the  buck.  He  was  on  the  point  of  whirling 
about  and  making  off,  but  waited  to  learn 
something  more  definite.  The  caution  of  Jack 
rendered  this  difficult,  and  it  was  because  of 
the  animal's  hesitation  that  Fred  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  spot  from  which  to  try  a  shot. 

The  lad  sighted  at  the  front  of  the  game 
and  his  finger  was  pressing  the  trigger,  when, 
perhaps  because  of  a  sudden  sight  of  Jack, 
the  buck  turned  about  to  flee.  It  was  at  this 
juncture  that  Fred  fired. 

The  result  was  better  than  he  expected.  It 
is  almost  impossible  to  kill  a  deer  instantly, 
instances  being  known  of  one  running  a 
number  of  rods  with  a  bullet  through  his 
heart;  but  in  this  instance  the  buck,  gather 
ing  his  forelegs  under  him,  as  if  to  leap  a 
high  obstruction,  bounded  straight  up  in  air 
and  dropped  back  so  close  to  the  edge  of  the 
cliff  that  he  toppled  over  and  came  tumbling 
downward  like  a  log  of  wood. 


136  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  point  where  he  fell  was  some  distance 
away  and  out  of  sight  of  the  young  hunter, 
who,  with  a  delighted  exclamation,  rose  to  his 
feet  and  began  scrambling  toward  his  prize. 
But  for  his  excitement  Fred  would  have  noted 
a  singular  thing.  When  the  report  of  his 
rifle  rang  out  in  the  stillness,  the  echo  from 
the  face  of  the  cliff  sounded  as  sharp  and 
loud  as  the  crack  of  his  own  weapon.  The 
explanation  of  this  speedily  became  manifest. 

Although  the  way  was  rough,  the  distance 
was  so  short  that  it  took  Fred  only  a  brief 
time  to  reach  the  inanimate  body  of  the  buck. 

"  Hank  couldn't  have  beaten  that  shot 
himself!  I  must  have  driven  the  bullet 
through  his  heart,  which  I  shouldn't  have 
done  if  he  hadn't  started  to  flee  at  the  instant 
I  pulled  trigger " 

At  that  moment  an  Indian,  rifle  in  hand, 
stepped  into  view  from  among  the  rocks,  and 
with  a  grin  on  his  face  came  toward  the 
youth.  Fred  was  not  dreaming  of  anything 
of  the  kind,  and  looked  at  the  red  man  in 
astonishment. 

"Eh!  howdy,  brother ?     That  my  buck/' 


LOOK  BEFOEE  YOU  LEAP.          137 

said  the  Indian,  with  his  painted  face  still 
bisected  by  a  tremendous  smile. 

The  lad  flared  up  on  the  instant. 

"  How  do  you  make  that  out  ?  I  just  shot 
him." 

"  No ;  me  shoot  him — he  mine." 

Fred's  gorge  continued  to  rise. 

"  You  are  not  speaking  the  truth.  I  fired 
at  him  a  few  minutes  ago  and  saw  him  spring 
in  air  and  fall  over  the  cliff." 

"Where  you  hit  him?" 

Beady  to  prove  the  truth  of  his  own  words, 
the  youth  stooped  over  the  carcass,  which  was 
lying  on  its  left  side.  A  crimson  orifice  was 
seen  just  back  of  the  foreleg,  which  showed 
where  the  tiny  messenger  of  death  had  en 
tered. 

"  That's  where  I  struck  him  !  "What  have 
you  to  say  to  that  ?" 

"  I  shoot  at  the  same  time  as  brother.  That 
where  my  bullet  go  in.  Dere  where  it  come 
out." 

Reflection  convinced  Fred  of  the  unpleas 
ant  fact  that  this  Indian  was  speaking  the 
truth.  The  relative  position  of  the  lad  and 


138  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the  dead  buck  had  been  such  that  it  was  im 
possible  for  his  bullet  to  take  the  course  of 
the  one  that  had  slain  the  animal.  The  de 
cisive  shot,  therefore,  was  not  his. 

"  But  I  know  mine  struck  him  somewhere," 
was  Fred's  desperate  exclamation  ;  "  could  it 
have  taken  the  same  course  as  yours  ?" 

The  tantalizing  smile  came  back  to  the  face 
of  the  red  man,  who  shook  his  head. 

"My  brother's  bullet  strike  dere — hurt 
antler  bad." 

The  Indian  thrust  the  toe  of  his  moccasin 
against  the  buck's  antlers.  It  was  plain  that 
one  of  the  prongs  had  been  chipped  off,  as  if 
by  the  impact  of  a  glancing  bullet.  Fred 
could  no  longer  deny  the  mortifying  fact  that 
his  shot  had  no  more  to  do  with  the  death  of 
the  animal  than  if  it  had  been  a  pebble  tossed 
up  the  cliff  by  hand. 

The  discovery  did  not  add  to  his  temper, 
and  he  was  in  an  unreasonable  mood. 

"  You  hadn't  any  business  to  fire  at  the 
buck  when  I  did !  I  had  picked  him  out  for 
my  game  and  it  was  a  mean  act  on  your  part. 
We  both  struck  him,  and  I  shall  claim  one- 


LOOK  BEFOEE  YOU  LEAP.         139 

half  of  him,  for  I'm  hungry,  and  it  will  soon 
be  supper-time." 

A  dangerous  light  shone  in  the  black  eyes 
of  the  Indian.  Evidently  he  had  no  liking 
for  the  race  of  the  young  man,  and  his  resent 
ment  was  roused  by  his  words  and  manner. 

"  He  mine  ;  me  take  him  ;  you  thief!" 

"  It  occurred  to  Fred  Greenwood  at  this 
moment  that  it  would  be  unwise  as  well  as 
perilous  to  quarrel  with  this  denizen  of  the 
wilderness.  He  was  in  middle  life,  active, 
powerful,  wiry  and  unscrupulous.  The  youth 
was  no  match  for  him  in  a  personal  encoun 
ter  ;  besides  which  he  noticed  that  the  fellow 
carried  a  Winchester  like  his  own,  not  to 
mention  the  formidable  knife  at  his  waist. 

Still  the  lad  was  too  proud  to  yield  the 
point  without  protest.  Besides,  he  was  grow 
ing  anxious  about  that  supper  which  hung 
suspended  in  the  balance. 

"  It's  only  fair  that  you  should  give  me  a 
part  of  the  body ;  you  can't  eat  a  tenth  part 
of  it.  You  must  divide." 

"  He  mine — me  take  all — white  dog  have 
none — me  kill  him." 


140  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  You  will,  eh  ?  I  shall  have  something  to 
say  about  that." 

It  was  Jack  Dudley  who  uttered  these 
words  as  he  strode  into  view  from  the  direc 
tion  taken  a  few  minutes  before  by  his  com 
rade. 

The  Indian  had  detected  the  approach  of 
Jack  before  he  spoke  and  before  Fred  knew 
of  his  coming.  He  raised  his  head  like  a 
flash,  and  the  dark,  threatening  expression 
vanished,  succeeded  by  the  grin  that  was 
there  when  he  first  appeared  to  the  younger 
lad. 

"Howdy,  brother?"  he  said,  extending  his 
hand,  which  was  taken  rather  gingerly  by 
the  surprised  youth,  who  recognized  him  as 
Motoza,  the  vagrant  Sioux,  with  whom  he 
had  had  the  singular  experience  some  nights 
before,  when  encamped  in  the  grove  on  the 
prairie. 

"  Why,  I  didn't  suspect  it  was  you"  added 
Jack,  hardly  knowing  how  to  address  him. 

Motoza  would  have  lacked  ordinary  per 
ception  had  he  failed  to  see  that  the  boys 
were  friends.  What  impulse  led  him  to  do 


LOOK  BEFORE  YOU  LEAP.         141 

what  he  did  it  would  be  hard  to  explain,  but 
without  making  any  response  to  the  remark 
of  Jack  he  drew  his  knife,  stooped  over  the 
carcass,  and  dextrously  cut  two  large  pieces 
from  the  haunches.  Straightening  up,  he 
handed  one  to  Jack  and  the  other  to  Fred, 
with  the  words : 

"  Take,  brothers." 

"  Thank  you  very  much,"  replied  Fred,  ac 
cepting  the  "  peace  offering,"  while  his  friend 
made  similar  acknowledgment. 

"  Brothers  want  more?" 

"That  is  plenty.  We  are  obliged,  and 
hope  you  will  pardon  our  hasty  words." 

With  the  chronic  grin  on  his  painted  face 
Motoza  stood  silent,  as  if  the  business  was 
closed  between  them. 

"  That  gives  us  our  supper,  Fred,  and  we 
may  as  well  go  back  to  camp.  Good-by, 
Motoza." 

The  Sioux  slightly  nodded,  but  did  not 
speak.  Each  boy,  carrying  his  food,  turned 
his  back  upon  him  and  moved  away  in  the 
direction  of  the  camp.  When  they  had  gone 
a  slight  distance,  Jack  looked  back  and  saw 


142  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the  Indian  bent  over  the  carcass  of  the  buck 
and  busy  with  his  knife  in  securing  a  meal 
for  himself.  A  few  minutes  later  the  parties 
were  out  of  sight  of  each  other. 

At  the  first  water  they  reached  the  lads 
carefully  washed  and  dressed  the  venison  and 
resumed  their  return  to  camp. 

"  What  do  you  make  of  it,  Jack  ?"  asked 
Fred. 

"I  don't  know  enough  about  Indians  to 
judge  them  correctly,  but  I  think  their  na 
ture  must  be  similar  to  our  own.  Motoza 
formed  a  respect  for  me  because  of  the  man 
ner  in  which  I  handled  him  the  other  night." 

"  That  is  my  belief;  and  it  is  not  only  re 
spect,  but  friendship.  He  likes  you,  and  will 
never  do  you  harm." 

"  What  about  you  ?" 

"  I  am  not  so  clear  there.  He  and  I  were 
quarrelling  when  you  came  up.  I  thought  it 
was  I  who  killed  the  buck,  but  he  proved  it 
was  himself,  and  that  I  had  no  claim  to  him. 
But  I  had  set  my  heart  on  making  a  supper 
off  venison  to-night,  and  did  not  like  the 
thought  of  giving  it  up.  He  was  ugly,  and 


LOOK  BEFORE  YOU  LEAP.         143 

if  you  hadn't  come  up  just  when  you  did 
there  would  have  been  trouble,  with  the 
chances  against  me." 

"  It  was  a  mistake  on  your  part." 

"  I  fear  it  was.  It  may  be,  however,  that 
Motoza  feels  better  disposed  toward  me  since 
he  has  learned  we  are  friends." 

"  That  is  my  belief.  But  it  is  rather  curi 
ous  that  we  should  run  across  him  again,  so 
many  miles  from  the  spot  where  we  last  met  ; 
but,  Fred,  we  must  keep  our  bearings." 

They  were  in  a  wild  section  of  the  moun 
tains,  which  they  had  not  seen  before,  but  by 
carefully  noting  the  position  of  the  sun  in  the 
sky  and  observing  a  towering,  snow-covered 
peak  that  had  been  fixed  upon  as  a  landmark, 
they  agreed  as  to  the  right  direction.  They 
were  confirmed  in  their  belief  shortly  after  by 
coming  to  the  edge  of  the  canyon  which  they 
had  leaped  on  their  outward  trip;  but  the 
width  was  fully  twenty  feet,  with  no  diminish 
ing,  so  far  as  they  could  see,  to  the  right  or  left. 

"I  hardly  think  it  will  do  to  make  the 
venture  here,"  remarked  Jack,  with  a  shake 
of  his  head. 


144  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  No ;  for  not  only  is  it  too  wide,  but  the 
other  side  is  several  feet  higher  than  this." 

They  cautiously  approached  the  edge  and 
peered  down  into  the  frightful  depth.  There 
was  the  same  foamy  stream,  apparently  a  half- 
mile  below,  dashing  over  the  rocky  bottom, 
and  sending  up  the  faint  roar  that  impressed 
them  when  the  canyon  was  first  seen.  It  was, 
in  short,  a  reproduction  on  a  reduced  scale  of 
the  magnificent  Grand  Canyon  of  the  Yellow 
stone,  which  is  a  source  of  admiring  wonder 
to  thousands  of  tourists. 

Something  away  down  in  the  bottom  caught 
the  attention  of  Fred,  and,  at  his  suggestion, 
they  laid  aside  their  rifles  and  venison  and 
crept  forward  on  their  faces  until  their  heads 
projected  over  the  edge  of  the  dizzying  depth. 

"  Do  you  see  him  ?"  asked  Fred. 

"  Yes ;  who  would  have  thought  of  such  a 
thing?" 

At  many  points  in  the  yeasty  foam 
black  masses  of  rocks  rose  so  high  above  the 
roaring  stream  that  the  water  whirled  and 
eddyed  around  them.  It  was  mostly  these 
obstructions  that  kept  the  current  in  a  state 


LOOK  BEFORE  YOU  LEAP.         145 

of  turmoil,  and  made  it  show  distinctly  in  the 
twilight  gloom  of  the  canyon.  On  one  of  the 
dripping  rocks  was  a  man,  standing  so  like  a 
statue  that  in  the  indistinct  light  Fred  Green 
wood  took  him  for  some  fantastic  formation 
of  stone,  worn  by  the  eroding  action  of  the 
angry  waters,  but  the  suggestion  of  a  living 
person  was  so  striking  that  the  two  called 
their  spy-glasses  into  use. 

The  result  was  astounding.  Instead  of 
being  an  Indian,  as  they  had  believed  at  first, 
it  was  a  white  man.  Furthermore,  the  instru 
ments  proved  beyond  question  that  he  was 
their  old  friend,  Hank  Hazletine. 

"  What  in  the  name  of  wonder  is  he  doing 
down  there  ?"  exclaimed  the  amazed  Jack. 

"  Standing  on  a  rock,"  was  the  reply.  "  He 
finds  some  amusement  in  that,  or  he  wouldn't 
do  it." 

"  He  must  have  entered  at  the  mouth  of  the 
canyon,  which  cannot  be  far  off." 

"That  may  be  so.  The  sides  are  so 
broken  and  rough  that  he  could  use  them  for 
stairs  in  going  down  or  coming  up." 

"  Whew  !"  exclaimed  Jack,  with  a  shudder ; 

10 


146  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"the  thought  scares  me.  I  wouldn't  under 
take  it  for  the  world  !  Suppose,  when  you 
had  picked  your  steps  half-way  down,  you 
couldn't  find  a  place  to  rest  your  hands  or 
feet ;  or,  in  climbing  up,  you  should  be  stopped 
within  a  yard  or  two  of  the  top  ?" 

"  It  would  be  the  end  of  the  chapter  for  us  ; 
but  Hank  knows  the  country  so  well  that  he 
is  in  no  danger  of  making  such  a  mistake ; 
but  none  for  us." 

In  the  hope  of  attracting  the  notice  of  their 
friend  the  boys  shouted  to  him,  but  the  roar 
of  the  waters  was  in  the  ears  of  the  hunter, 
who  would  not  have  heard  the  boom  of  a  can 
non  fired  on  the  cliffs  above.  He  did  not 
look  up  or  give  any  heed  to  their  hail.  Fred 
thought  of  throwing  down  a  piece  of  rock, 
but  it  was  too  dangerous.  It  was  liable  to  be 
so  deflected  from  its  course  as  to  kill  the  un 
suspicious  hunter,  who  had  assumed  great 
risk  as  it  was.  \ 

"Do  you  see  that?"  asked  Jack. 

The  question  was  caused  by  the  action  of 
Hank,  who  made  a  leap  that  carried  him  to 
the  top  of  the  boulder  nearest  him.  Then 


LOOK  BEFORE  YOU  LEAP.         147 

he  sprang  to  a  second  and  a  third,  when,  to 
the  astonishment  of  the  watchers,  he  disap 
peared. 

The  reason  was  apparent.  After  his  last 
leap  he  had  passed  under  a  projecting  ledge, 
from  which,  of  course,  he  would  emerge 
whenever  he  chose  to  do  so.  But,  though 
the  boys  watched  for  a  considerable  time,  he 
did  not  appear ;  and,  realizing  that  the  after 
noon  was  drawing  to  a  close,  they  rose  to  their 
feet,  with  the  purpose  of  pushing  on  to  camp. 

But  to  do  that  they  must  find  a  place  where 
the  canyon  could  be  crossed,  and  they  set 
out  on  their  hunt,  which  proved  less  difficult 
than  was  anticipated.  Not  far  off  a  portion  of 
the  rocks  on  their  side  projected  like  a  tongue 
so  far  over  the  ravine  that  it  was  barely  two 
yards  from  its  extremity  to  the  other  bank. 
Moreover,  the  sides  of  the  canyon  were  on  a 
level,  so  that  a  more  favorable  spot  for  cross 
ing  could  not  have  been  desired. 

An  examination  of  this  formation  showed 
that  twenty  feet  below  them  the  canyon  was 
as  wide  as  at  the  point  from  which  they  had 
watched  their  friend.  The  ledge,  therefore, 


148  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

arched  over,  and  was  in  the  nature  of  a  par 
tial  bridge,  whose  thickness  would  have  sus 
tained  a  great  many  tons. 

They  peered  downward  in  quest  of  Hank, 
but  the  gorge  had  taken  an  abrupt  turn  since 
they  saw  him  and  he  was  not  in  sight. 

The  task  before  them  seemed  so  simple  that 
the  two  gave  it  scarcely  a  thought,  but  it 
brought  them  an  experience  which,  in  some 
respects,  was  the  most  terrifying  of  their 
lives. 

While  the  banks  were  substantially  on  the 
same  level,  the  opposite  one  was  fringed  with 
a  species  of  stunted  bush,  two  or  three  feet 
high,  quite  dense,  and  bearing  a  species  of 
red  berry  such  as  is  found  on  the  fragrant 
wintergreen.  Hazletine  had  cautioned  the 
lads  against  eating  any  vegetable  whatever  in 
this  section,  since  many  are  violently  poison 
ous  and  have  caused  the  death  of  more  than 
one  thoughtless  tenderfoot. 

Fred  Greenwood  made  ready  for  the  first 
jump.  As  in  the  former  instance,  the  distance 
was  so  slight  that  it  was  not  necessary  to  toss 
any  of  their  impedimenta  in  advance  of  their 


LOOK  BEFOEE  YOU  LEAP.         149 

own  passage.  It  was  easy  to  jump  with  the 
Winchester  in  one  hand  and  the  goodly  piece 
of  meat  in  the  other.  Since  Fred  had  beaten 
his  friend  some  time  before,  Jack  quietly  re 
solved  to  turn  the  tables  by  doing  his  best, 
and  he  was  confident  of  far  surpassing  him, 
especially  as  Fred  had  no  suspicion  of  his 
intention. 

"Go  ahead/'  said  Jack;  "night  isn't  far 
off,  and  it  will  be  dark  by  the  time  we  reach 
camp." 

Fred  took  only  a  couple  of  paces  for  a 
start,  when  he  bounded  across  the  chasm  with 
the  ease  of  a  chamois.  Jack  had  sauntered 
a  rod  back,  as  if  with  no  special  purpose  in 
mind,  when  his  object  was  to  secure  the  im 
petus  that  would  land  him  far  in  advance  of 
his  comrade.  Standing  thus,  he  complacently 
watched  Fred,  as  his  body  rose  in  air,  grace 
fully  curved  over,  and  landed  at  a  safe  dis 
tance  beyond  the  edge  of  the  canyon. 

It  was  while  Jack  Dudley  was  standing 
thus  that  he  fancied  he  saw  a  disturbance  in 
the  bushes  where  Fred  was  about  to  alight. 
It  was  so  slight  that  he  did  not  think  it 


150  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

meant  anything ;  and,  without  noticing  it 
further,  he  started  on  a  series  of  quick,  short 
steps,  which  were  to  give  him  the  necessary 
momentum  to  win  the  victory  over  his  friend. 
At  that  instant  Fred  landed  and  emitted  a 
cry  of  terror  and  warning. 

"Look out, Jack!  Don'tjump!  Stop!  stop!" 
But,  though  Jack  heard  the  cry,  it  was  too 
late  to  heed  it.  He  was  so  near  the  edge  of 
the  canyon  that  had  he  checked  himself  he 
would  have  gone  spinning  to  death  down  the 
abyss.  The  leap  must  be  made,  and,  gather 
ing  his  muscles,  he  rose  in  the  air,  with  his 
legs  gathered  under  him,  and  with  the  cer 
tainty  that  the  jump  would  far  surpass  the  one 
that  he  had  just  witnessed. 

In  that  critical  moment,  when  his  body  rose 
and  seemed  suspended  over  the  gorge,  Jack's 
attention  was  fixed  upon  the  strange  actions 
of  Fred.  The  instant  he  landed  he  darted  to 
one  side,  and  with  his  rifle  struck  at  some 
thing  in  the  bushes  which  Jack  could  not  see. 
As  he  did  so  he  recoiled,  and  was  in  the  act 
of  advancing  and  striking  again,  when  Jack 
landed  upon  the  ground  beyond. 


LOOK  BEFOEE  YOU  LEAP.         151 

As  he  did  so  lie  heard  a  vicious,  locust-like 
whir,  whose  meaning  he  recognized.  An 
immense  rattlesnake  was  in  the  bushes,  and 
Fred  had  descended  almost  upon  it.  But 
for  the  tremendous  effort  of  Jack  he  would 
have  dropped  squarely  upon  the  velvety 
body,  with  consequences  too  frightful  to  be 
thought  of;  but  his  great  leap  carried  him 
over  it,  while  the  attack  of  Fred  upon  the 
reptile,  in  the  effort  to  save  his  companion, 
diverted  the  attention  of  the  rattlesnake  for 
an  instant. 

Jack  saw  the  flat,  pitted  head,  the  gleam 
ing  coil,  the  distended  jaws,  while  the  slightly 
elevated  tail  vibrated  so  rapidly  with  the 
warning  which,  once  heard,  can  never  be  for 
gotten,  that  it  looked  hazy  and  mist-like. 
Before  Fred,  at  imminent  risk  to  himself, 
could  bring  down  his  clubbed  gun  with  crush 
ing  force,  Jack  felt  a  sharp  sting  in  his  ankle 
and  called  out,  in  the  extremity  of  terror  : 

"I'm  bitten!" 

He  was  not  only  terrified  but  angered,  and 
whirling  about,  he  brought  down  his  gun 
with  spiteful  violence  on  the  writhing  body. 


152  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  reptile  struck  again,  but  it  was  already 
wounded  to  that  extent  that  its  blow  was  er 
ratic,  and,  though  it  came  near  reaching  the 
hand  of  Jack,  it  missed  by  a  safe  margin. 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  153 


CHAPTER  IX. 

NIGHT   IN   THE   MOUNTAINS. 

ONE  of  the  singular  facts  connected  with  the 
crotalus  species  is  the  ease  with  which  it 
is  killed.  The  writer  once  ended  the  career  of 
a  huge  specimen  with  a  single  blow  of  a  whip 
lash.  The  first  impact  of  Fred  Greenwood's 
rifle-barrel  upon  the  hideous  reptile  coiled  in 
the  scrub  bushes  inflicted  a  fatal  wound, 
though  the  serpent  continued  blindly  striking 
for  a  minute  or  two  longer,  and  responded 
viciously  to  the  attack  of  the  scared  and  angry 
Jack  Dudley,  who  struck  it  several  times  after 
it  had  ceased  to  struggle  and  all  danger  was 
past.  A  person's  first  impulse,  after  being 
bitten  by  a  snake,  is  to  kill  it,  after  which  he 
looks  after  the  wound  he  may  have  received. 

But  Fred  had  heard  the  dreadful  exclama 
tion  of  his  comrade  and  caught  him  by  his 
arm  as  he  was  about  to  bring  down  his  last 
blow  upon  the  reptile. 


154  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  O  Jack,  are  you  sure  he  bit  you  ?"  he 
asked  in  a  tremulous  voice. 

"  Yes ;  I  felt  the  sting  in  my  left  ankle, 
like  the  prick  of  a  needle." 

Dropping  upon  the  ground,  he  hastily  un 
fastened  and  turned  down  his  legging.  There, 
sure  enough,  was  a  tiny  red  spot,  with  a  single 
drop  of  blood  oozing  from  it. 

"  The  rattlesnake  has  two  fangs,"  said 
Fred  ;  "  but  there  is  only  one  wound  here." 

"  It  wasn't  a  direct  blow,  I  suppose,"  said 
the  white-faced  Jack,  who  had  good  reason  to 
be  terrified  over  the  occurrence,  for  the  rattle 
snake,  although  ranking  below  the  cobra  in  the 
virulence  of  its  venom,  is  the  most  deadly  ser 
pent  in  America,  and  the  veteran  hunter  fears 
it  more  than  the  most  savage  of  wild  animals. 

Fred  stooped  down  and  examined  the 
wound  closely.  A  thrilling  suspicion  was 
becoming  certainty  in  his  mind. 

"When  did  you  feel  that  bite?"  he  asked. 

"At  the  moment  I  landed  on  my  feet. 
What  a  dreadful  poison  it  is !  I  can  feel  it 
all  through  my  body;  and  don't  you  see  that 
my  ankle  has  begun  to  swell  ?" 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  155 

Fred  continued  to  study  the  wound,  press 
ing  his  finger  around  it  and  bending  close  to 
the  limb.  Had  the  hurt  been  caused  by  the 
fang  of  a  serpent  he  would  have  tried  to  suck 
out  the  venom.  Suddenly  he  looked  up  with 
glowing  face. 

"Now,  Jack,  my  dear  fellow,  don't  be 
frightened  ;  you  haven't  been  bitten  at  all." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  At  the  moment  you  landed  on  your  feet 
I  was  beating  the  life  out  of  the  snake,  and 
he  was  giving  his  whole  attention  to  me.  He 
did  not  try  to  bite  you  till  you  turned  about 
and  began  striking  at  him." 

"  But  what  made  that  wound  ?"  asked  Jack. 

"  I  suspect  the  cause." 

He  drew  up  the  legging  and  examined  the 
part  that  covered  the  spot  in  the  ankle  which 
had  received  the  blow. 

"  There !  I  knew  it !     That's  what  did  it !" 

He  had  plucked  out  a  small,  needle-pointed 
thorn.  The  bushes  abounded  with  similar 
prongs,  one  of  which  had  been  torn  off  and 
pierced  the  legging  of  Jack  when  he  was 
crashing  through  the  tops  of  the  bushes. 


156  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Sure  there  isn't  any  mistake  about  that?" 
asked  the  youth,  feeling  as  if  a  mountain  were 
lifted  from  his  shoulders. 

"  There  can't  be." 

"  Wait  a  minute  I" 

With  one  bound  the  happy  fellow  came  to 
his  feet,  and  throwing  his  arms  about  his 
comrade,  hugged  him  into  temporary  breath- 
lessness. 

"  Thank  the  Lord !  Richard's  himself  again ! 
The  V.  W.  W.  are  born  to  good  fortune." 

And  joining  hands,  the  two  danced  with 
delight.  Many  in  the  situation  of  Fred 
Greenwood  would  have  laughed  at  Jack  and 
"guyed"  him  over  his  blunder,  but  the  in 
cident  was  too  dreadful  and  the  terror  of  his 
friend  too  intense  for  Fred  to  wish  to  amuse 
himself  at  his  expense.  However,  he  could 
not  help  indulging  just  a  trifle.  Suddenly 
pausing  in  his  antics  he  looked  down  at  the 
feet  of  Jack. 

"  I  suppose  in  a  few  minutes  your  ankle 
will  be  so  swelled  that  the  buckles  will  fly  off 
the  legging.  By  this  time,  too,  you  must  feel 
the  poison  in  your  head." 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  157 

By  way  of  answer,  Jack,  who,  like  Fred, 
had  laid  aside  his  Winchester  and  venison, 
seized  his  friend  and  tried  to  lay  him  on  his 
back.  They  had  had  many  a  wrestling  bout 
at  home  and  there  was  little  difference  in  their 
skill.  Fred  was  always  ready  for  a  test,  and 
he  responded  with  such  vigor  that  before  Jack 
suspected  he  received  an  unquestioned  fall, 
since  both  shoulders  and  hips  were  on  the 
ground  at  the  same  time,  with  his  conqueror 
holding  him  motionless. 

"  It  was  hardly  fair,"  remarked  Fred,  al 
lowing  him  to  rise  to  his  feet. 

"  Why  not?"  asked  Jack,  also  coming  up. 

"The  venom  of  the  rattlesnake  so  weakened 
you  that  you  are  not  yourself." 

"  I'll  show  you  whether  I  am  or  not !" 

At  it  they  went  again,  and  this  time  Jack 
was  the  victor,  after  which  they  brushed  off 
their  clothing  and  agreed  to  leave  the  decid 
ing  bout  for  a  more  convenient  season.  Night 
was  rapidly  closing  in. 

"  That  exercise  has  added  to  my  appetite," 
remarked  Jack,  as  they  gathered  up  their  be 
longings  and  moved  off. 


158  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  It  would  have  done  the  same  for  me,  if 
the  thing  were  possible." 

Mindful  of  the  danger  of  going  astray, 
they  carefully  studied  the  landmarks,  so  far 
as  they  could  see  them.  Their  main  reliance 
was  the  lofty  peak  that  was  visible  for  so  great 
a  distance,  but  with  that  help  they  saw  it 
growing  dark,  while  they  were  in  a  region 
totally  strange  to  them. 

"  My  gracious  !"  said  Fred,  as  they  came  to 
a  halt ;  "  in  the  face  of  all  that  Hank  told  us, 
we  have  lost  our  way !" 

"It  has  that  look,"  replied  Jack,  remov 
ing  his  hat  and  drawing  his  handkerchief 
across  his  moist  forehead ;  "  but  I  don't  see 
that  it  is  such  a  serious  thing,  after  all. 
We  can  spend  the  night  here  as  well  as  any 
where." 

"What  will  Hank  think,  when  he  goes  to 
camp  to  meet  us  ?" 

"I  reckon  he'll  not  be  disappointed;  be 
sides,  we  can't  be  far  from  the  place,  and  can 
look  it  up  to-morrow." 

"  I  don't  suppose  it  will  hurt  us  to  build  a 
fire  among  these  rocks  and  spend  the  night ; 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  159 

but  the  air  is  pretty  cool  and  we  shall  miss 
our  blankets." 

"  Old  hunters  like  ourselves  must  become 
used  to  such  things,"  complacently  observed 
Jack,  who  began  preparations  at  the  same 
moment  for  carrying  out  his  own  proposal. 
It  was  no  trouble  to  find  enough  brush  and 
wood  to  serve  them,  and  they  had  brought 
such  a  goodly  supply  of  matches  from  the 
ranch  in  their  rubber  safes  that  they  soon  had 
a  vigorous  fire  going,  over  which  they  broiled 
their  venison. 

The  meal  of  itself  would  not  have  been  en 
joyable  at  their  home,  for  it  was  too  "  new," 
lacking  a  certain  tenderness  that  forms  one 
of  its  chief  attractions.  Besides,  it  was  un 
avoidably  scorched  in  the  preparation ;  but 
the  mixed  pepper  and  salt  sprinkled  over  it 
improved  the  flavor.  But  the  great  thing 
was  their  insatiate  appetites,  for  it  is  a  homely 
truth  that  there  is  no  sauce  like  hunger.  So 
it  came  about  that  they  not  only  made  a 
nourishing  meal,  but  had  enough  left  to  serve 
them  in  the  morning. 

It  was  fully  dark  when  the  repast  was  fin- 


160  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

ished.  The  fire  had  been  started  against  the 
face  of  a  boulder,  and  only  a  small  quantity 
of  wood  remained — not  sufficient  to  last  half 
through  the  night.  With  the  going  down  of 
the  sun  the  air  became  colder.  It  seemed  at 
times  as  if  a  breath  of  wind  from  the  snowy 
peaks  reached  them,  and  it  caused  an  involun 
tary  shiver.  The  prospect  of  remaining  where 
they  were  through  the  dismal  hours  of  dark 
ness  was  anything  but  cheering. 

"  Jack,"  suddenly  said  Fred  in  a  guarded 
undertone,    "  there's  some  wild  animal  near 


us." 


"  How  can  you  know  that?" 

"  I  heard  him  moving  about." 

"  In  what  direction  ?" 

"  Just  beyond  the  ridge  there.  Hark ! 
Didn't  you  hear  it?" 

"  You  are  right,"  whispered  Jack ;  "  let's 
find  out  what  it  is." 

Gun  in  hand,  they  moved  stealthily  up  the 
slight  ridge  near  by.  It  was  only  a  few  feet 
in  height.  Their  experience  had  taught  them 
that  danger  was  likely  to  break  upon  them  at 
any  time,  and  they  did  not  mean  to  be  caught 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  161 

unprepared.  Neither  spoke  as  they  cautiously 
climbed  the  ridge,  like  a  couple  of  Indian 
scouts  on  the  alert  for  the  first  appearance  of 
peril. 

But  they  reached  the  crest  of  the  slight 
elevation  without  having  heard  anything 
more  of  that  which  had  alarmed  them.  The 
next  moment,  however,  both  caught  the  dim 
outlines  of  a  large  animal  moving  slowly  from 
them.  Before  they  were  certain  of  its  iden 
tity  the  creature  neighed,  as  if  frightened  by 
the  stealthy  approach  of  the  youths. 

"  It's  a  horse  !"  exclaimed  Fred,  who,  sus 
pecting  the  whole  truth,  moved  over  the 
ridge  and  called,  in  a  coaxing  voice : 

"  Dick  !     Come  here,  Dick  !" 

The  animal  stopped,  looked  inquiringly 
around,  and  then  came  forward  with  a  pleased 
whinny.  He  was  Fred's  pony,  and,  brief  as 
their  acquaintance  had  been,  recognized  his 
voice.  Fred  stroked  his  nose  and  patted  his 
neck,  and  the  horse  showed  his  pleasure  at 
receiving  the  endearments. 

When  the    youths    made    their    halt  and 

cooked  their  supper  they  were  on  the  edge 
11 


162  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

of  the  grassy  plateau  for  which  they  were 
hunting,  and  whose  features  they  would  have 
been  quick  to  recognize  were  the  sun  shining. 
Soon  after,  Jack's  pony  came  out  of  the 
gloom  as  if  to  claim  attention,  and  he  re 
ceived  it. 

"We  are  more  fortunate  than  I  dared 
hope,"  said  Jack;  "here  we  are  at  home, 
after  all.  I  wonder  whether  Hank  is  ahead 
of  us  ?" 

This  was  unlikely,  since,  if  he  had  reached 
the  spot  fixed  upon  as  their  headquarters,  he 
would  have  kindled  a  fire,  whereas  it  was 
dark  in  every  direction.  The  partial  cavern 
was  on  the  other  side  of  the  plateau,  and  the 
boys  walked  rapidly  to  it,  the  route  being 
clear,  now  that  they  had  located  themselves. 

They  appreciated  the  wisdom  of  Hank, 
who  had  made  them  help  gather  enough 
firewood  to  last  through  the  night.  He  said 
(what  proved  to  be  the  fact)  that  they  were 
not  likely  to  return  till  late,  when  it  would 
be  hard  to  collect  the  right  kind  of  fuel. 

In  a  brief  while  a  second  fire  was  under 
way.  It  was  started  in  front  of  the  cavern, 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  163 

which  was  of  so  slight  extent  that  it  received 
and  held  much  of  the  warmth.  Seated  within 
the  opening,  with  their  heavy  blankets 
wrapped  about  them,  the  boys  were  thor 
oughly  comfortable.  They  had  met  with 
enough  stirring  adventure  and  had  had  suffi 
cient  rough  experience  to  make  the  rest  highly 
acceptable.  They  naturally  wondered  when 
nine  o'clock  passed  without  bringing  Hank 
Hazletine. 

"  Maybe  he  has  lost  his  way  in  the  canyon," 
suggested  Fred,  giving  expression  to  a  fancy 
which  was  not  serious. 

"  You  mean  that  he  has  forgotten  where 
the  stairs  lead  up  to  the  top  ?" 

"  I  guess  that's  what  I  mean,  though  I 
never  thought  of  it  before.  If  that  is  the 
fact,  he  may  have  to  pick  his  way  for  two  or 
three  hundred  miles  to  the  mouth  of  the 
canyon  and  then  walk  back  to  us." 

"  That  will  delay  his  arrival." 

"  Yes.  He  can  hardly  be  expected  before 
morning." 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  Jack,  becoming  more 
serious;  "Hank  warned  us  that  no  matter 


164  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

where  we  went  into  camp,  we  must  keep  one 
person  on  duty  as  sentinel." 

"  Suppose  we  are  separated,  and  there  is 
only  one  of  us  in  camp  ?" 

"  Then,  I  presume,  he  must  sit  up  and 
watch  over  himself.  But  what's  the  use  of 
one  of  us  keeping  guard  here  ?" 

"  Why  riot  ?" 

"  We  are  in  this  cavern-like  arrangement, 
where  no  one  can  come  upon  us  from  the 
rear,  while  the  fire  will  ward  off  danger  from 
the  front.'' 

"  Suppose  that  danger  comes  in  the  form 
of  an  Indian ;  what  would  he  care  for  half  a 
dozen  fires  ?" 

"But  there  are  no  unfriendly  Indians  in 
these  parts." 

"  You  are  thinking  of  Motoza.  We  have 
agreed  that  he  is  friendly,  but  sometimes  I 
suspect  we  are  making  a  mistake  about  him." 

The  boys  would  have  been  glad  to  con 
vince  themselves  that  it  was  safe  to  dispense 
with  guard  duty,  for  a  night  of  undisturbed 
rest  was  exceedingly  tempting,  but  no  one 
who  starts  out  with  the  set  purpose  of  deceiv- 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  165 

ing  himself  can  do  so.  The  result  of  it  all 
was  that  the  two  decided  that  they  must  stand 
guard  between  them  until  the  sun  rose. 

On  such  occasions  the  sentinel  whose  turn 
comes  first  has  the  preferable  task,  since  every 
one  will  admit  that  it  is  easier  to  keep  awake 
before  midnight  than  afterward.  The  division 
was  made  more  equitable  by  arranging  that 
Jack  Dudley  should  serve  until  two  o'clock, 
and  Fred  Greenwood  for  the  remainder  of  the 
morning.  Before  the  hour  of  ten  the  younger 
lay  down  on  the  flinty  floor,  with  his  heavy 
blanket  gathered  around  him,  and  sank  into 
slumber.  They  had  matched  pennies  for  the 
first  turn,  else  the  elder  would  not  have 
claimed  it. 

Jack  found  his  duty  similar  in  many  re 
spects  to  that  of  his  first  night  on  the  prairie, 
but  the  surroundings  and  circumstances  were 
in  wide  contrast.  In  the  former  instance 
they  had  the  companionship  of  the  cowman 
and  veteran  hunter,  while  now  they  could 
not  know  whether  he  was  within  a  half-dozen 
miles  of  them.  Jack,  however,  did  not  be 
lieve  that  anything  in  the  nature  of  danger 


166  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

impended,  and  that  to  a  great  extent  he  was 
taking  upon  himself  an  unnecessary  hard 
ship. 

So  far  as  he  could  judge,  the  only  possrole 
thing  to  fear  was  wild  animals.  There  were 
always  some  of  them  prowling  through  this 
region,  but  at  that  season  of  the  year  the 
wolves  and  other  brutes  were  not  pressed  by 
hunger,  and  no  matter  how  fierce  the  creat 
ure,  he  would  not  attempt  to  pass  the 
mouth  of  the  cavern  so  long  as  the  fire  was 
burning.  Jack  flung  a  number  of  sticks  on 
the  blaze  and  then  passed  outside,  where  he 
was  beyond  the  circle  of  light.  Standing 
thus,  in  the  gloom  of  the  night,  he  felt  that 
the  experience  of  that  hour  was  worth  the 
journey  across  the  continent. 

There  was  an  impressive  grandeur  in  the 
solitude  that  he  had  never  felt  before.  On 
every  side  towered  the  immense  peaks  of  one 
of  the  loftiest  spurs  of  the  grandest  mountain 
chain  of  America.  The  crests  resembled  piles 
of  blackness,  with  the  stars  gleaming  behind 
them,  while  he,  an  insignificant  atom,  stood 
with  gun  by  his  side  in  one  of  the  tiny  hoi- 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  167 

lows,  as  if  to  guard  against  attack  from  the 
sleeping  monsters. 

As  is  always  the  case,  the  stillness  of  the 
vast  solitude  seemed  unlike  silence,  for  a  low, 
deep  murmur  was  ever  brooding  in  the  air, 
varied  now  and  then  by  the  soft  voice  of 
some  waterfall,  borne  across  the  vasty  depths 
by  an  eddy  in  the  gentle  wind.  Once  the 
bark  of  a  wolf  sounded  so  sharp  and  clear 
that  the  youth  started  and  looked  to  one  side, 
expecting  to  see  the  animal  steal  forward  from 
the  gloom,  but  a  moment's  reflection  told  him 
the  brute  was  a  mile  or  more  distant.  Then, 
some  time  later,  a  mournful,  wailing  cry  rose 
and  fell  from  some  remote  point.  He  sus 
pected  that  that,  too,  came  from  the  throat  of 
a  wolf,  but  he  was  not  sure. 

Just  a  touch  of  homesickness  came  over 
Jack  Dudley,  and  he  felt  lonely  for  the  first 
time  since  leaving  home.  As  he  looked  up  at 
the  clear  sky  he  wondered  whether  his  father 
and  mother  were  well  and  asleep;  whether 
they  were  dreaming  of  him;  whether  they 
missed  him  from  that  loved  home  and  longed 
for  the  day  when  he  should  return  to  them. 


168  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Suppose  something  happens  that  will  pre 
vent  my  ever  seeing  them  ?"  he  said  to  him 
self,  while  the  tears  filled  his  eyes.  "  I  thought 
when  I  believed  that  rattlesnake  had  bitten 
me  to-day  that  death  was  sure  ;  and  I  was  near 
it,  though  I  was  unharmed.  We  are  in  more 
danger  here  than  I  expected;  but  we  are  in 
danger  every  hour,  no  matter  where  we  are. 
I  hope  nothing  will  befall  Fred  or  me." 

And  standing  alone  in  the  midst  of  that  wild, 
rugged  scene,  he  silently  lifted  his  heart  to  the 
only  One  who  could  protect  and  save  them 
from  the  hundreds  of  perils  that  beset  them. 

His  eye  was  fixed  on  the  stupendous  moun 
tain  beyond  the  plateau,  at  whose  base  wound 
the  canyon,  when  he  observed  a  growing  light 
on  its  crest.  The  twinkling  stars  beyond 
grew  dimmer,  and  the  white  blanket  of  snow 
that  had  lain  there  for  centuries  rapidly  came 
out  in  bolder  relief,  until  it  sparkled  and 
gleamed  much  as  he  had  seen  it  do  when  the 
sun  was  shining.  Then  a  curved  yellow  rim 
emerged  from  behind  the  mountain,  its  climb 
ing  of  the  sky  so  rapid  that  the  progress  was 
readily  noted.  In  a  brief  while  the  whole 


NIGHT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  169 

form  of  the  round  full  moon  appeared  clear 
of  the  peak,  and  its  silvery  rays  began  filling 
the  gorges  and  chasms  below. 

The  scene  was  picturesque  and  beautiful 
beyond  description.  As  the  moon  climbed 
higher,  the  lower  peaks,  one  after  the  other, 
leaped  into  view,  while  the  hollows  between 
became  blacker  and  more  awesome  from  con 
trast.  Most  of  these  were  so  deep  that  the 
illumination  made  them  appear  stronger  by 
the  contrast.  As  the  orb  ascended  it  seemed 
to  shrink  in  size  and  to  climb  more  slowly ; 
but  the  shifting  of  the  wonderful  panorama, 
progressing  as  it  did  in  complete  silence,  was 
impressive  to  the  last  degree. 

It  was  as  if  the  angels  of  the  sky  were 
noiselessly  casting  their-  fleecy  veils  of  light 
over  and  into  the  awful  depths  below,  and 
driving  away  the  crouching  monster  of  black 
ness  that  was  thus  roused  from  his  slumber 
and  forced  to  flee.  Grand  as  was  the  scene, 
it  was  soothing  in  its  effect  upon  the  awed 
lad,  who,  leaning  against  the  rock  behind 
him,  the  stock  of  his  rifle  resting  at  his  feet, 
surveyed  it  all  with  feelings  that  drew  him 


170  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

nearer  to  heaven,  and  gave  him  a  more  vivid 
knowledge  of  the  greatness  and  majesty  of 
the  Author  of  all  that  he  saw  and  felt. 

Standing  thus,  with  his  emotions  stirred  to 
their  profoundest  depths,  Jack  Dudley  took 
no  note  of  the  passage  of  time.  Midnight 
came  and  passed,  and  still  he  held  his  post, 
wondering,  admiring  and  worshipping,  as 
must  puny  man  when  brought  face  to  face 
with  such  exhibitions  of  Omnipotence. 

It  was  an  unromantic  ending  to  this  expe 
rience  that,  forgetful  of  the  consequences  of 
what  he  did,  he  finally  became  sensible  of  the 
irksomeness  of  his  standing  position,  and  sat 
down,  with  his  back  to  the  rock,  that  he  might 
enjoy  it  all  without  fatigue  of  body. 

Need  it  be  said  wjiat  followed  ?  He  had 
not  been  seated  ten  minutes  when  his  senses 
left  him  and  he  became  as  unconscious  as 
Fred  Greenwood,  asleep  in  the  cavern,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  smouldering  fire.  The 
hours  passed  until  the  light  of  the  moon 
paled  before  the  rosy  hues  of  the  rising  sun, 
and  still  the  boys  slumbered  and  knew  naught 
of  what  was  passing  around  them. 


THE  SIGNAL-FIKES.  171 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    SIGNAL-FIKES. 

JACK  DUDLEY  was  awakened  by  the 
sound  of  laughter.  Opening  his  eyes, 
he  stared  about  him  confusedly,  unable  for 
some  moments  to  recall  his  situation.  Fred 
Greenwood  stood  in  front  of  him,  shaking  so 
much  with  mirth  that  he  could  scarcely 
stand. 

"O  faithful  sentinel!''  he  said;  "how  well 
thou  hast  kept  thy  trust !" 

"  I  don't  see  anything  to  laugh  at,"  replied 
Jack,  rising  to  his  feet  and  rubbing  his  eyes; 
"you  would  have  done  the  same  if  you  had 
been  in  my  place." 

"  Perhaps  I  should,  and  then  the  laugh 
would  have  been  on  me.  But  we  have  cause 
to  be  thankful  that,  while  no  harm  has  come 
to  us,  we  have  had  a  good  night's  rest.  I  sup 
pose  you  dropped  into  slumber  almost  as  soon 
as  I  did." 


172  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"No,  I  didn't/'  persisted  the  elder;  "I 
stood  here  a  long  time,  but  made  the  mistake 
of  sitting  down  for  a  few  minutes,  just  before 
it  was  time  to  call  you.  I  ought  to  have 
known  better,  and  shall  never  do  the  like 
again." 

"  Well,  we  have  been  fortunate  and  it  has 
taught  us  both  a  lesson.  Let's  attend  to  our 
toilet  and  have  breakfast." 

They  laved  their  faces  and  hands  in  the 
cold  stream  of  clear  water  running  near  them, 
combed  their  hair,  stretched  and  limbered 
arms  and  legs  by  a  series  of  gymnastics  to 
which  they  were  accustomed,  and  then,  re 
turning  to  the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  found,  by 
raking  over  the  ashes,  that  enough  live  em 
bers  remained  to  broil  the  venison  more  ac 
ceptably  than  any  meal  that  had  been  pre 
pared  since  coming  to  the  region. 

By  that  time  Jack  had  recovered  his  usual 
good  nature,  and  was  as  ready  to  jest  as  his  com 
panion  over  his  dereliction  of  duty. 

"I  don't  know  what  time  it  was  when  I 
fell  asleep,"  he  said,  "  but  it  must  have  been 
past  midnight.  The  moon  had  risen  over 


THE  SIGNAL-FIRES.  173 

that  high  mountain  yonder,  and  I  was  admir 
ing  the  wonderful  picture  its  rays  made  as 
they  shot  out  over  the  lower  peaks  and  lit  up 
the  chasms  between.  I  never  saw  anything 
so  beautiful." 

"  You  ought  to  have  called  me  to  share  the 
pleasure  with  you." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  it  was  time  to  do  so,  but 
I  knew  you  preferred  to  sleep  rather  than 
look  upon  Niagara  Falls  or  the  Yellowstone." 

"If  so,  I  am  not  the  only  younker,  as 
Hazletine  says,  who  has  such  a  preference. 
That  reminds  me,  Jack,  that  it's  mighty  lucky 
we  are  not  vegetarians." 

"  Why  ?" 

"  What  should  we  do  for  our  meals  ?  So 
long  as  we  stay  in  these  mountains  we  must 
live  on  game.  This  seasoning  that  Hank 
was  thoughtful  enough  to  give  us  makes  it 
palatable,  but  coffee,  bread  and  a  few  vege 
tables  would  help  a  good  deal." 

"  It  doesn't  make  much  difference,  so  long 
as  we  are  blessed,  or  rather  tortured,  with  such 
appetites  as  we  have  had  ever  since  we  struck 
Wyoming." 


174  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

From  where  they  sat  at  the  mouth  of  the 
cavern  they  saw  all  three  of  their  ponies  crop 
ping  the  succulent  grass.  It  was  evident  that 
nothing  could  add  to  their  enjoyment  of  this 
outing. 

Naturally  the  boys  speculated  over  the  ab 
sence  of  their  guide. 

"  He  must  have  expected  to  spend  the 
night  with  us.  And,  Fred,  perhaps  it  will  be 
just  as  well,  when  he  does  come,  that  we  don't 
tell  him  how  I  passed  the  time  when  trying  to 
act  the  sentinel." 

"  I  surely  shall  not,  unless  he  questions  us 
so  closely  that  we  cannot  help  letting  him 
know  the  truth." 

"  He  will  have  a  small  opinion  of  us." 

"  Why  of  '  us  T  " 

"  Because  you  would  have  done  the  same 
as  I." 

"  That  has  not  yet  been  proven." 

"  Well,  say  '  myself/  if  that  suits  better." 

"  It  is  a  very  good  amendment.  I  wonder 
whether  anything  can  have  befallen  him  ?" 

"  He  is  too  much  of  a  veteran  to  make  such 
blunders  as  we." 


THE  SIGNAL-FIRES.  175 

"That  is  true,  and  yet  the  most  skilful 
hunter  in  the  world  is  liable  to  accident. 
What's  frightened  the  ponies?" 

One  of  the  animals  had  raised  his  head, 
with  the  grass  dripping  like  green  water  from 
his  jaws,  and  was  looking  off  to  the  side  of 
the  plateau  as  if  he  scented  danger  of  some 
kind.  He  was  near  the  further  boundary, 
thus  being  considerably  removed  from  the 
boys,  who  grasped  their  Winchesters  and  rose 
to  their  feet. 

"  It's  Hank's  horse,"  said  Jack,  in  an 
undertone ;  "  the  others  do  not  seem  to  be  in 
terested  in  what  disturbs  him." 

"And  there  comes  Hank  himself!"  was 
the  delighted  exclamation  of  Fred,  as  they 
saw  their  old  friend  step  into  view  from  be 
hind  the  rocks  and  walk  with  his  peculiar 
silent  stride  toward  them. 

The  movement  of  the  beard  under  the  broad 
sombrero  showed  that  the  guide  was  smiling, 
and  doubtless  he  was  as  pleased  as  the  boys  over 
the  meeting.  He  advanced  with  the  same 
lengthy  step  and  extended  his  hand  with  his 
hearty  "  Howdy  ?"  to  each  in  turn. 


176  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Glad  to  see  you,  younkers ;  you  seem  to 
have  got  along  as  well  without  me  as  if  I'd 
been  with  you." 

"  Nothing  has  come  amiss ;  but,  Hank, 
we're  glad  indeed  to  see  you." 

"  Where  did  you  git  your  breakfast  ?"  he 
asked,  glancing  at  the  signs  of  the  meal  of 
which  they  had  partaken. 

"Oh,  I  thought  it  best  yesterday  afternoon 
to  shoDt  a  buck,"  said  Fred,  airily  ;  "  for  the 
main  thing  for  us  to  do  in  this  part  of  the 
world  is  to  look  out  that  we  don't  starve  to 
death." 

"  You  shot  a  buck,  eh  ?     How  was  it  ?" 

Thereupon  the  younger  lad  gave  the  par 
ticulars  of  the  incident.  Hank  listened  at 
tentively,  and  when  he  learned  of  the  part 
played  by  Motoza,  the  vagrant  Sioux,  his  in 
terest  deepened. 

"So  that  scamp  is  in  the  mountains?  I 
s'pected  it ;  he  claimed  to  have  shot  the  buck 
and  wouldn't  divide  till  Jack  took  a  hand. 
Why  did  you  let  him  have  any  of  it?" 

"  Because  he  had  the  right.  I  thought  it 
was  my  shot  that  killed  the  game,  but  the  bul- 


THE  SIGNAL-FIEES.  177 

let  only  grazed  one  of  his  antlers;  it  was 
Motoza  who  killed  the  buck,  and  he  was  en 
titled  to  him.  Have  you  been  to  breakfast?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  veteran,  whose  manner 
showed  that  he  was  displeased  with  the  story 
he  had  just  heard. 

"  Hank/'  said  Jack,  "  why  did  Motoza  give 
us  any  of  the  venison  ?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  the  unexpected  reply; 
"I'd  give  a  good  deal  to  know." 

"  Do  you  suppose  he  was  frightened  when 
he  found  there  were  two  instead  of  one  to 
face?" 

"  It  looks  that  way,  but  I  can't  believe  it. 
The  Sioux  is  a  scamp  mean  enough  to  do  any 
thing  ;  but  he  has  grit,  and  I  don't  believe 
that  two  young  tenderfeet  like  you  could 
scare  him." 

"  Perhaps  he  felt  a  respect  and  friendship 
for  Jack  because  of  what  took  place  in  the 
grove  on  the  prairie,"  suggested  Fred. 

The  boys  expected  their  friend  to  ridicule 
this  idea,  but  he  did  not.  On  the  contrary, 
he  admitted  that  it  was  the  most  reasonable 
explanation  that  presented  itself;  and  because 


178  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

of  this  admission,  both  of  the  lads  were  con 
firmed  in  their  faith  that  the  right  cause  had 
been  named. 

"  One  of  you  stood  guard  last  night  while 
the  other  slept?" 

The  question  was  so  abrupt  that  Jack's  face 
flushed.  Fred  was  silent,  but  his  comrade 
thought  the  best  course  was  to  make  a  clean 
breast  of  it,  and  he  did  so.  Hank  Avon  the 
gratitude  of  the  boys  by  not  uttering  a 
word  of  reproof  or  showing  any  displeasure. 
More  than  that,  he  made  the  astounding  com 
ment : 

"  I'm  glad  you  slept  most  of  the  night." 

The  two  looked  at  him  in  astonishment. 

"  If  the  Sioux  meant  you  harm,  you  gave 
him  the  best  chance  in  the  world.  He  carries 
as  good  a  repeating  Winchester  as  yours,  and 
there  was  nothing  to  keep  him  from  stealing 
up  in  the  night  and  shooting  you  both ;  or,  if 
he  liked  the  knife  better,  it  would  have  been 
the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  for  him  to  wipe 
you  out  when  your  eyes  was  closed." 

This  was  a  view  of  the  matter  that  had  not 
presented  itself  to  the  youths,  for  the  reason, 


THE  SIGNAL-FIKES.  179 

as  will  be  remembered,  that  they  had  accepted 
the  friendship  of  Motoza  as  a  fact. 

"  But  he  could  have  followed  and  picked 
us  off  when  we  were  on  our  way  here,"  sug 
gested  Jack. 

"  Yes,  he's  had  all  the  chances  he  wanted." 

"  Then  it's  safe  to  set  Motoza  down  as  a 
friend  ?" 

But  Hank  shook  his  head. 

"  The  safest  thing  to  do  when  an  Indian  is 
afore  the  house  is  to  set  him  down  as  an 
enemy  waiting  for  a  chance  to  lift  your  scalp. 
That  confounded  Sioux  is  one  of  the  cun- 
ningest  imps  that  ever  stole  a  white  man's 
pony  or  helped  to  stampede  a  drove  of  cattle. 
Everything  that  he's  done  since  we  come  into 
the  mountains  looks  as  if  he  was  a  friend  to 
us  all.  I  can't  help  saying  that,  but  it 
mustn't  be  furgot  that  the  whole  bus'ness 
may  be  meant  to  close  our  eyes,  and  that  he's 
got  some  deviltry  in  mind  back  of  it  all,  that 
neither  of  you  younkers  has  thought  about.'* 

"  Have  you  thought  of  it  ?" 

The  hunter  would  not  reply  to  this  direct 
question  except  to  say  : 


180  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  We'll  have  to  wait  and  see." 

And  so  Jack  and  Fred  were  left  as  much 
in  doubt  as  before ;  but,  it  may  be  added, 
with  their  belief  in  the  friendship  of  the 
Sioux  unshaken.  They  reasoned  that  their 
guide  was  so  accustomed  to  seeing  the  worst 
side  of  the  red  men  that  he  found  it  hard  to 
believe  any  good  of  them.  As  for  them 
selves,  they  would  feel  no  further  anxiety 
over  the  enmity  of  Motoza,  for  had  he  not 
shown  the  best  possible  proof  that  could  be 
asked  of  his  good-will  ? 

Inasmuch  as  Hank  had  given  them  a  series 
of  surprises  by  his  questions  and  remarks, 
Jack  Dudley  now  turned  the  tables  on  him 
by  saying : 

"  Yesterday  afternoon,  when  we  looked 
down  into  that  deep  canyon  over  yonder,  we 
shouted  to  you  at  the  bottom,  but  suppose 
the  noise  of  the  water  prevented  your  hear 
ing  us.  At  any  rate,  you  gave  us  no  atten 
tion.'7 

The  hunter  was  astonished,  as  he  showed 
by  his  start  and  inquiring  look. 

"  So  you  seen  me,  did  you  ?" 


THE  SIGNAL-FIRES.  181 

"We  did,  and  wondered  what  you  were 
doing  there." 

Hank  laughed  in  his  silent  way,  as  if  it 
were  all  a  joke,  hut  did  not  offer  any  explana 
tion.  Evidently  he  had  some  business  down 
there,  but,  like  most  of  his  kind,  was  not 
inclined  to  make  known  his  secrets  when  the 
necessity  did  not  exist. 

"  What  a  tremendous  climb  that  was  !  And 
it  must  have  been  dangerous  to  pick  your 
way  down  the  side  of  the  canyon." 

"  I  s'pose  it  would  have  been  if  I'd  done 
it,  but  I  didn't." 

"  Then  the  canyon  cannot  be  as  extended  as 
we  thought?" 

"  That  depends  on  how  long  you  thought  it 
was.  As  near  as  I  can  find  out,  it  is  between 
sixty  and  seventy  miles." 

Not  wishing  to  persist  in  speaking  in  rid 
dles,  Hank  added: 

"  Howsumever,  though  it's  as  long  as  I  said, 
there's  a  break  not  fur  away,  where  the  banks 
ain't  more  than  a  few  feet  above  the  stream. 
The  break  isn't  large,  but  it  don't  have  to  be. 
You  obsarved  that  the  stream  runs  into  the 


182  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

mountains.  It  seems  to  be  making  a  dive  far 
t'other  side,  as  if  it  meant  to  make  fur  the 
Pacific,  but  it  gives  it  up  and  comes  back  after 
a  while,  and  finds  its  way  into  the  Wind  River, 
and  so  on  to  the  Big  Horn  and  the  Missouri." 

"  Then  you  came  up  the  canyon  from  the 
break  and  went  back  again  ?" 

"  I  didn't  say  that.  I  come  up  to  where 
you  seed  me,  but  instead  of  going  back  I 
climbed  the  side  to  the  top." 

"Gracious,  what  a  task!  It  must  be  a 
thousand  feet." 

"  It  isn't  much  less,  but  the  sides  of  the 
canyon  are  so  rough  that  it's  just  like  so  many 
steps.  I've  done  it  often,  and  ain't  the  only 
one.  Bart  and  Mort  tried  both  ways  and 
like  the  climb  better,  though  Kansas  Jim 
would  never  take  it.  Don't  furgit  one  thing, 
younkers.  When  you  have  a  job  like  that 
afore  you  it's  a  good  deal  easier  to  climb  up 
than  it  is  to  climb  down.  If  you  should  find 
yourself  at  the  bottom  of  the  canyon  and  hit 
the  right  spot,  you'll  larn  that  the  work  is 
easier  going  up  than  you  think,  but  it's  too 
resky  going  down  for  any  one  to  try." 


THE  SIGNAL-FIRES.  183 

The  boys  hoped  their  friend  would  tell 
them  why  he  had  entered  the  gorge,  when 
the  act  at  best  was  exhausting  and  accompa 
nied  by  more  or  less  peril,  but  he  ignored 
their  curiosity,  and  they  did  not  feel  war 
ranted  in  questioning  him.  When  he 
thought  it  well  he  would  tell  them,  and  they 
could  afford  to  wait  until  then. 

The  day  was  as  perfect  in  its  way  as  its  pre 
decessor.  The  blue  sky  showed  only  a  few 
fleecy  clouds  at  wide  intervals,  and  the  sun 
shone  with  a  strength  that  made  its  warmth 
perceptible  even  in  that  elevated  region. 
The  boys  began  to  feel  impatient  to  be  mov 
ing.  A  good  many  days  yet  remained  to 
them,  but  they  were  all  too  few  to  satisfy 
their  longing  for  the  inspiriting  life  they 
had  entered  upon  with  so  much  zest. 

As  the  three  stood,  the  backs  of  Jack  and 
Fred  were  toward  the  cavern,  in  which  the 
fire  had  been  burning,  while  the  hunter  faced 
them.  He  now  turned  and  looked  off  over 
the  wild,  precipitous  mountains  by  which 
they  were  surrounded.  The  youths,  who 
were  observing  him,  saw  him  fix  his  eyes  on 


184 


TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


a  point  to  the  right,  at  which  he  gazed  so 
long  and  steadily  that  it  was  evident  he  had 
discovered  something  of  more  than  usual 
interest.  Following  the  same  direction  they 
looked  keenly,  but  were  unable  to  detect  any 
thing  out  of  the  ordinary. 

Despite  his  own  fixity  of  gaze,  Hank  noted 
what  they  were  doing,  and  turning  abruptly 
toward  them,  asked : 

"  Do  you  obsarve  anything  'tic'lar  ?" 
"  Nothing  more  than  what  we  have  seen," 
replied  Jack.  "  There  are  the  mountain 
peaks,  most  of  them  reaching  above  the  snow- 
line;  the  dark  masses  below;  the  scrubby 
pines,  with  more  abundant  vegetation,  still 
further  down." 

'''  Do  you  see  that  crag  that  juts  out  from 
the  side  of  the  lower  part  of  that  peak?" 
asked  Hank,  extending  his  hand  in  the  direc 
tion  indicated. 

Thus  aided,  both  boys  looked  at  the  exact 
spot.  It  was  below  the  snow-line,  where 
only  a  few  of  the  rocks  showed,  because  of  the 
numerous  pines  which  grew  luxuriantly; 
but,  keen  as  was  their  eyesight,  they  were 


THE  SIGNAL-FIRES.  185 

unable  to  detect  the  first  sign  of  moving  thing 
or  life. 

"  Try  your  glasses  on  it,"  said  Hank. 

The  boys  brought  the  instruments  round 
in  front  and  levelled  them  at  the  point  of 
interest.  As  they  did  so  they  made  a  discov 
ery.  From  the  very  centre  of  the  clump  of 
wood  rose  a  thin,  shadowy  line  of  vapor, 
which  was  dissolved  in  the  clear  air  before 
it  ascended  more  than  a  few  feet  above  the 
tree-tops. 

"  So  you  obsarve  it  at  last,"  said  the 
hunter,  after  they  had  told  what  they  saw. 
"  Wai,  now  study  it  closer,  and  tell  me  if  you 
notice  anything  queer  'bout  the  same." 

Wondering  what  he  could  mean,  they  did 
as  he  requested.  A  minute  later  Fred  said  : 

"  The  smoke  does  not  ascend  steadily  ;  first 
it  shows  plainly,  then  there  is  none,  and  then 
it  shows  again." 

"  Seems  to  keep  it  up,  eh  ?" 

"Yes,  like  the  puffs  from  the  smoke-stack 
of  a  locomotive,  only  they  are  a  great  deal 
slower,"  explained  Jack ;  "  but  the  smoke 
soon  dissolves  in  the  clear  air." 


186  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Not  soon  enough,  though,  to  keep  you  from 
obsarving  what  we've  been  talking  about?" 

"  No ;  it  is  too  plain  to  be  mistaken." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  the  smoke  of  a  camp- 
fire  act  like  that?" 

"  Never  ;  have  you  ?" 

"Many  a  time;  that's  an  Injin  signal-fire." 

This  was  interesting,  but  caused  nothing  in 
the  nature  of  fear  on  the  part  of  the  boys.  It 
was  Fred  who  remarked  : 

"  The  Indians  must  be  signaling  to  some 


one." 


"  Exactly." 

"  It  can't  be  to  usf" 

"  Not  much ;  it's  to  another  party  of  In- 
jins,  and  that  other  party  is  calling  back  to 
'em.  See  whether  you  can  find  t'other  signal." 

The  boys  moved  the  points  of  their  glasses 
back  and  forth  and  up  and  down,  but  it  was 
not  until  their  guide  again  pointed  out  the 
right  spot  that  they  located  the  second  signal. 
Indeed  the  vapor  was  so  fine  and  feathery  that 
it  was  wonderful  how  Hank  himself  had  been 
so  quick  to  note  it. 

The  points  were  of  about  the  same  eleva- 


THE  SIGNAL-FIRES.  187 

tion,  and  separated  by  a  distance  of  some  two 
miles.  Peak  and  valley,  gorge  and  canyon, 
rock  and  boulder  in  profusion  lay  between. 
No  doubt  could  remain  that  two  parties  of  In 
dians  were  telegraphing  messages  back  and 
forth,  and  that  they  were  understood  by  each 
party. 

As  yet  the  boys  failed  to  see  that  the  mat 
ter  was  of  any  special  concern  to  them,  though 
it  was  interesting  to  know  that  they  were  not 
the  only  ones  who  were  hunting  in  that  sec 
tion. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Jack,  "  that  the  parties 
are  from  the  reservation  and  are  signaling  to 
each  other  about  the  game." 

"  That  may  be,"  replied  Hank,  after  some 
hesitation,  "but  I  ain't  quite  sure  we  ain't  the 
game  they're  signaling  'bout." 

"  They  wouldn't  dare  disturb  us !"  ex 
claimed  Fred. 

"Not  in  the  open ;  but  don't  furgit  what  I 
obsarved  to  you  some  time  ago  that  an  In- 
jin,  when  he  feels  purty  sartin  of  not  being 
found  out,  ain't  to  be  trusted.  Now, 
younkers,  I  may  be  all  wrong,  but  if  I  am, 


188  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

nothing  won't  be  lost  by  acting  as  if  I  was 
right ;  whereas  if  I'm  right  and  we  don't  act 
that  way,  the  mischief  will  be  to  pay." 

"  How  shall  we  make  sure  ?" 

"By  keeping  our  eyes  open;  when  we're 
hunting  fur  game,  look  out  that  some  of  the 
redskins  ain't  hunting  fur  us.  I  think  that 
confounded  Motoza  has  a  finger  in  this  pie." 

Without  explaining  further,  the  hunter 
rested  the  stock  of  his  gun  on  the  ground  and 
leaned  upon  it  in  profound  meditation.  He 
paid  no  attention  to  his  companions,  but  con 
tinued  gazing  in  the  direction  of  the  first  sig 
nal-fire  he  had  noticed,  and  was  evidently 
turning  over  some  scheme  in  his  mind. 

Had  he  been  alone  he  would  have  given 
no  further  attention  to  the  signs,  which  might 
mean  nothing  or  a  good  deal,  for  he  felt  able 
to  take  care  of  himself,  no  matter  in  what  sit 
uation  he  was  placed  ;  but  he  considered  that 
to  a  large  extent  the  safety  of  the  two  boys, 
who  were  totally  without  experience  in  these 
solitudes,  rested  upon  him.  He  must  take  no 
chances  that  were  avoidable. 

"  Younkers,"   he    suddenly   said,   rousing 


THE  SIGNAL-FIRES.  189 

himself,  "I  must  larn  more  'bout  this  business; 
I'm  off;  don't  go  so  fur  from  this  place  that 
you  can't  git  back  to-night ;  I'll  be  here  and 
have  some  news  fur  you." 

And  with  this  parting  he  strode  across  the 
plateau  on  his  way  deeper  into  the  mountains. 


190  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  XL 

A   KING   OF   THE   FOREST. 

THE  boys  remained  standing  at  the  mouth 
of  the  cavern  until  the  guide  disap 
peared  on  the  other  side  of  the  little  plateau. 
Then  they  looked  at  each  other  and  smiled. 

"  Well,  it  appears  that  we  are  to  have  an 
other  day  to  ourselves,"  said  Jack  ;  "  and  we 
can't  gain  anything  by  waiting,  so  let's  be 
off." 

Nothing  could  be  more  satisfactory  to  Fred, 
and  the  two  took  nearly  the  same  course  as 
their  friend,  who  passed  from  sight  but  a 
short  time  before.  They  had  no  intention, 
however,  of  following  him,  for  that  would 
have  been  displeasing  to  the  veteran,  who, 
had  he  desired  their  company,  would  have 
asked  for  it. 

Without  any  definite  object  in  mind,  they 
took  substantially  the  route  of  the  previous 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  191 

afternoon.  Sooner  than  they  anticipated, 
they  found  themselves  on  the  margin  of  the 
canyon  that  had  been  the  scene  of  so  stirring  an 
experience,  but  the  point  where  they  reached 
it  was  deeper  in  the  mountains. 

"  Jack,  we  can't  be  very  far  from  that  break 
that  Hank  spoke  of;  let's  hunt  it  up." 

"  I  am  willing ;  but  before  we  do  so  we'll 
peep  over  the  side,  to  see  whether  he  or  any 
one  else  is  there." 

No  change  was  to  be  noted  in  the  appear 
ance  of  the  tiny  stream  at  the  enormous  depth, 
but  neither  friend  nor  stranger  was  in  sight. 
They  did  not  expect  to  see  any  one,  and  be 
gan  moving  along  the  side  of  the  stupendous 
fissure  in  their  search  for  the  place  where 
Hank  had  entered  it.  From  what  he  said  it 
could  not  be  far  off,  but  they  were  disap 
pointed  before  reaching  the  right  point.  A 
gradual  descent  of  the  sides  was  notable,  and 
continued  until  the  depth  of  the  canyon  was 
decreased  one-half,  while  the  roar  became 
more  audible. 

"We  can't  be  far  from  the  break,"  said 
Jack  ;  "  that  is,  if  this  descent  continues." 


192  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

They  found,  however,  a  few  minutes  later, 
that  it  did  not  continue,  but  began  to  increase, 
until  they  were  fully  as  elevated  above  the 
bottom  of  the  gorge  as  at  the  point  where 
they  had  leaped  it.  The  width  also  varied 
continually,  sometimes  being  only  three  or 
four  feet,  while  in  others  it  expanded  to  near 
ly  ten  times  that  extent.  They  did  not  pause 
to  look  over  the  margin  again,  for  their  aim 
was  to  reach  the  place  referred  to  by  their 
friend. 

At  the  moment  when  they  began  to  wonder 
whether  a  mistake  had  not  been  made  they 
came  upon  the  break.  Both  banks  sloped 
downward  so  abruptly  that  it  would  have 
been  laborious  for  the  two  to  work  their  way 
to  the  bottom,  or  from  the  bottom  to  the  top, 
though  the  masses  of  boulders,  with  the  tough 
pines  growing  almost  the  whole  distance,  of 
fered  secure  foothold. 

The  picture  was  an  interesting  one.  At  the 
point  where  the  stream  issued  from  the  canyon, 
its  width  was  about  twenty  yards.  It  flowed 
swiftly,  but  quickly  slackened  its  pace,  since 
its  expansion  was  fully  a  hundred  feet.  This 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  193 

flowed  for  probably  double  that  distance,  when 
the  high  banks  again  appeared,  and  what  may 
be  called  the  regular  canyon  was  resumed. 

Jack  and  Fred  sat  down  to  survey  the  cu 
rious  picture.  They  noticed  that  the  canyon 
seemed  to  be  dotted  at  intervals  with  rocks, 
some  of  which  rose  to  a,  considerable  height 
above  the  current.  Many  were  near  one  side 
or  the  other,  while  others  were  in  the  middle 
of  the  swift  stream,  which  dashed  against 
them  with  a  violence  that  threw  the  spray  and 
foam  high  in  air.  It  was  easy  to  believe 
that  Hank  Hazletine  had  made  his  way  up 
the  canyon  by  leaping  from  rock  to  rock,  with 
little  more  result  than  the  wetting  of  his 
shoes. 

"  It  might  be  done  in  the  daytime/'  said 
Jack,  "  but  I  should  not  want  to  try  it  at 
night." 

"  The  water  must  be  very  deep  in  many 
places ;  and  flows  so  fast  that  the  strongest 
swimmer  couldn't  help  himself.  I  should  pre 
fer  to  climb  the  wall,  as  Hank  did." 

"  But  that  would  be  dangerous  in  the  dark 


ness." 


13 


194  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"The  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  do  neither," 
observed  Fred,  with  a  laugh.  "  I  have  a  good 
deal  of  curiosity  to  know  what  led  Hank  to 
pick  his  way  up  the  canyon,  but  I  haven't 
enough  to  lead  me  to  follow  him " 

Jack  Dudley  suddenly  griped  the  arm  of 
his  friend  and  drew  him  back  from  the  boul 
der  on  which  they  had  been  sitting.  Fred 
nearly  lost  his  balance,  and  did  not  know 
what  to  make  of  the  proceeding  until  both 
checked  themselves  at  a  safe  distance  and 
cautiously  peeped  forth.  Then  the  cause  of 
Jack's  excitement  became  apparent. 

From  the  pines  on  the  other  side  of  the 
stream,  and  near  the  middle  of  the  depressed 
portion,  three  Indians  stepped  into  view. 
The  first  anxiety  of  the  youths  was  to  learn 
whether  Motoza  was  one  of  them ;  but  he  was 
not.  All  were  strangers. 

They  were  dressed  much  the  same  as  the 
vagrant  Sioux,  and,  like  him,  their  faces  were 
painted,  and  their  coarse  black  hair  dangled 
loosely  about  their  shoulders.  They  were 
armed  with  rifles ;  but  two  of  the  weapons 
seemed  to  be  the  long,  old-fashioned  muzzle- 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  195 

loaders,  while  the  third  carried  a  Winchester. 
Although  they  emerged  from  the  pines  in  In 
dian  file,  they  spread  apart  and  walked  beside 
one  another  to  the  edge  of  the  broad  stream, 
where  they  stopped,  as  if  that  were  the  end 
of  their  journey. 

Their  gestures  showed  they  were  talking 
energetically,  though  of  course  not  the 
slightest  murmur  reached  the  youths,  who 
took  care  to  screen  themselves  from  view 
while  cautiously  peeping  forth.  Even  after 
the  warning  words  of  their  guide  they  felt  no 
special  alarm,  for  they  believed  the  red  men 
were  from  the  reservation  near  by,  and  would 
not  harm  any  one.  If  they  attempted  it, 
Jack  and  Fred  felt  they  had  the  advantage 
of  position,  sheltered  behind  the  rocks,  far 
above  their  enemies,  down  upon  whom  they 
could  fire  with  their  Winchesters,  should  the 
necessity  arise. 

It  was  quite  certain  that  the  three  belonged 
to  one  of  the  hunting  parties  whose  signal- 
smoke  the  boys  had  seen  earlier  in  the  day. 
Their  action  was  curious.  They  did  not 
look  up  the  bank,  so  that  the  boys  might 


196  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

have  been  more  careless  without  being  dis 
covered  ;  but  it  was  apparent  that  two  of  them 
were  arguing  with  the  third,  who  was  more  ex 
cited  than  either  of  his  companions.  Finally 
he  turned  away  and  made  as  if  to  pass  up 
the  canyon,  after  the  manner  of  HankHazle- 
tine.  He  leaped  out  upon  one  of  the  rocks, 
then  bounded  as  lightly  to  another,  and  then 
to  a  third,  which  took  him  within  the  canyon. 
The  others  watched  him  without  protest  or 
action. 

Evidently  the  Indian  who  had  started  off 
so  hurriedly  was  more  impulsive  than  his 
companions,  for  after  his  third  leap  he  re 
mained  standing  on  the  rock ;  and,  although 
it  would  have  been  easy  for  him  to  spring  to 
the  next  leading  up  the  canyon,  he  refrained 
from  doing  do.  Instead,  he  looked  around, 
and  then  deliberately  rejoined  his  friends,  who 
showed  no  surprise  over  his  reverse  move 
ment.  They  spoke  only  a  few  words  to  one 
another,  when  they  moved  back  in  Indian 
file  toward  the  growth  of  pines,  among  which 
they  passed  from  sight  and  were  seen  no 
more. 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  197 

"  That  was  a  queer  performance,"  remarked 
Jack ;  "  it  looked  to  me  as  if  that  first  fellow 
wanted  his  companions  to  go  up  the  canyon 
with  him,  and  when  they  refused  he  started 
off  by  himself." 

"  Only  to  change  his  mind." 

"There  can  be  no  doubt  of  that;  but  it 
strikes  me  as  strange  that  there  should  be 
something  up  there  to  attract  them  as  well  as 
Hank." 

"  Some  day  Hank  will  tell  us  about  it.  Do 
you  observe,  young  man,  that  the  forenoon 
is  well  along  and  we  haven't  had  a  sight  of 
any  game?" 

With  no  thought  of  the  Indians  whom 
they  had  just  seen,  the  boys  began  retracing 
their  steps.  Inasmuch  as  it  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  gorge  that  they  had  gained  the 
shot  at  the  buck,  the  feeling  was  strong  that 
they  should  pass  it  again  and  push  their 
hunt  in  that  direction. 

It  did  not  require  long  to  find  a  spot  where 
the  fissure  was  easily  leaped.  In  fact,  the 
exploit  was  becoming  quite  an  everyday  thing 
with  them. 


198  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  We  are  not  far  from  the  spot  where  we 
killed  that  rattler  yesterday/'  said  Fred, 
recognizing  several  landmarks.  "I  wonder 
whether  there  are  any  more  near  us " 

At  that  instant  Fred  uttered  a  gasp  and 
leaped  several  feet  from  the  ground,  while  his 
companion  was  hardly  a  second  behind  him. 
Both  had  heard  the  well-remembered  whir 
at  the  same  moment,  and  bounded  away  sev 
eral  steps  before  pausing  to  look  back. 

Remarkable  as  it  might  seem,  a  second 
specimen  of  the  crotalus,  fully  as  large  as  the 
other,  lay  on  the  flat  surface  of  a  rock  only 
a  few  inches  above  the  ground.  Evidently 
it  was  sunning  itself  when  thus  disturbed 
by  the  approach  of  the  young  hunters,  at 
sight  of  whom  it  threw  itself  into  coil.  The 
boys  were  not  in  danger,  for  the  warning  was 
sounded  while  they  were  still  a  number  of 
paces  distant. 

Feeling  safe,  they  stood  still  and  surveyed 
the  hideous  thing.  They  agreed  that  it  was 
larger  than  the  other,  and  seemed  to  be 
darker  in  color.  But  for  the  fact  that  the 
reptiles  were  on  opposite  sides  of  the  canyon, 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  199 

it  might  be  believed  they  were  mates.  The 
head  and  tail  were  elevated,  the  latter  vibra 
ting  with  the  swift,  hazy  appearance  at  the 
end  of  the  rattles  which  they  had  noted 
before. 

Jack  repeated  the  oft-quoted  expression  : 
"The  heel  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the 
serpent's  head/'  and  added  :  "  I  suppose  nine 
persons  out  of  every  ten,  when  they  see  any 
kind  of  a  snake,  are  seized  with  an  impulse 
to  kill  it." 

"Even  though  many  are  harmless  and 
useful." 

"  I  think  the  best  use  you  can  put  a  rattle 
snake  to  is  to  blow  him  into  smithereens, 
which  is  what  I  am  going  to  do." 

As  he  spoke,  Jack  brought  his  Winchester 
to  a  level  and  sighted  carefully  at  the  pitted 
head  of  the  serpent.  He  was  deliberate,  and 
did  not  press  the  trigger  until  sure  his  aim 
was  accurate  to  a  hair. 

Fred  kept  his  eye  on  that  head.  At  the 
instant  the  sharp  crack  of  the  rifle  rang  out 
the  frightful  object  vanished,  and  the  long 
body  broke  into  fierce  writhings.  Jack  had 


200  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

clipped  off  the  head  as  neatly  as  if  with  the 
blow  of  a  scimitar,  the  bullet  shattering  the 
neck  just  below,  and  at  its  narrowest  portion. 

"That's  as  well  as  I  could  have  done  my 
self,"  commented  Fred,  as  his  friend  lowered 
his  weapon  and  watched  the  struggles  of  his 
victim,  which  quickly  ceased,  for,  as  has  been 
said,  the  crotalus  species  is  easily  killed,  and 
when  one  of  them  has  been  decapitated  he 
cannot  keep  up  appearances  very  long. 

When  it  became  certain  the  reptile  was  dead 
the  boys  drew  near  for  a  closer  inspection. 
They  counted  the  rattles,  which  were  seven 
teen  in  number,  proving  the  reptile  of  extra 
ordinary  size. 

"  We  didn't  think  to  count  those  of  the 
other/'  said  Fred,  "  but  I  am  sure  it  was  not 
so  large  as  this." 

"  No ;  but  I  wonder  whether  we  are  going 
to  stumble  over  them  at  every  step  ?" 

"  This  is  only  the  second  one ;  we  may  not 
see  another  for  a  week." 

"  I  hope  we  shall  not ;  but  so  long  as  they  are 
kind  enough  to  give  us  notice  of  their  inten 
tions  we  ought  to  be  able  to  avoid  their  bites." 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  201 

It  looked  as  if  their  experience  of  the  pre 
vious  day  was  to  be  repeated,  for  within  a 
hundred  yards  from  the  spot  an  animal  was 
discovered  on  a  rock,  a  considerable  distance 
above  them.  Fred  was  the  first  to  see  it,  and 
exclaimed : 

"There's  another  buck,  Jack!  It's  your 
turn." 

But  before  Jack  could  bring  his  weapon  to 
a  level  the  animal  saw  them  and  was  off  like 
a  flash.  In  fact  they  had  no  more  than  a 
glimpse  of  it — barely  enough  to  see  that  it  had 
no  antlers,  and  probably  was  not  a  deer  at 
all. 

"  It  isn't  going  to  be  as  easy  work  as  we 
thought/7  said  Fred  ;  "  I  shouldn't  be  surprised 
if  we  fail  to  get  a  shot  to-day." 

"Well,  we  shall  have  the  fun  of  tramping 
ourselves  tired.  It  seems  to  me  that  when 
any  sort  of  game  shows  itself  it  comes  out  in 
plain  sight  and  is  not  scared  up  by  us.  Let's 
sit  down  a  while  and  watch  things  around 


us." 


This    singular    proposal    was  acted  upon. 
After  picking  their  way  some  distance  fur- 


202  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

ther  among  the  rocks  they  chose  a  seat,  and 
then  looked  searchingly  here  and  there  at 
the  different  elevations  and  prominent  points, 
in  the  hope  of  catching  sight  of  some  game 
which  would  give  them  a  shot  before  dashing 
off  with  headlong  haste. 

"  Eight  over  that  part  of  the  mountain 
peak  yonder,"  said  Jack,  pointing  at  the 
place,  "  I  saw  the  moon  rise  last  night.  I 
have  watched  it  come  out  of  the  ocean  many 
a  time,  but  never  saw  anything  so  beautiful 
before." 

He  described  as  best  he  could  the  impres 
sive  scene,  while  Fred  listened,  and  for  the 
first  time  felt  regret  that  he  had  not  been 
awakened  that  he,  too,  might  have  enjoyed 
the  view. 

When  he  had  studied  the  mountain  peak 
for  some  minutes,  he  raised  his  glass  and  sur 
veyed  it  steadily  for  a  while  longer. 

"  I  thought  so,"  he  remarked  ;  "  turn  your 
glass,  Jack,  in  that  direction." 

Jack  did  as  requested,  and  saw  to  what  kis 
comrade  referred.  Perched  on  the  highest 
portion  was  an  immense  gray-headed  eagle. 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  203 

Sailing  thither  from  the  depths  of  space,  he 
had  paused  for  a  while,  with  the  grand  view 
spread  out  before  him,  and  what  a  view  it 
must  have  been  ! 

It  was  easy  to  identify  the  bird  with  the 
aid  of  their  glasses,  which  were  kept  pointed 
for  some  time  at  him. 

"  I  wonder  whether  he  sees  us  T'  said  Fred. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  it,  for  their 
eyes  detect  the  smallest  object  on  a  land 
scape.  He  is  probably  studying  us  with  as 
much  interest  as  we  are  watching  him." 

"Our  rifles  couldn't  carry  a  ball  half-way 
to  him." 

"And  what  if  they  could?  Would  you 
wish  to  harm  the  emblem  of  our  country  ?" 

"  No  ;  unless  he  attacked  us,  which  I  don't 
think  is  likely.  Halloo  I" 

Just  then  the  immense  bird  spread  his 
wings  and  began  skimming  through  the  air 
with  majestic  grace.  More  than  that,  he  was 
coming  in  the  direction  of  the  boys. 

"  I  believe  he  means  to  make  a  meal  off  of 
us  !"  exclaimed  Fred ;  "  we  would  better  be 
ready  for  him." 


204  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  There's  nothing  to  be  frightened  at.  If 
he  intends  to  attack  us  we  have  only  to  wait 
until  he  is  near,  when  we  can  puncture  him." 

If  the  king  of  birds  held  any  such  intention 
he  changed  his  mind.  Swooping  far  across 
the  intervening  space,  seemingly  aiming 
straight  at  them,  he  suddenly  changed  his 
course,  and,  ascending  high  in  the  sky,  swept 
around  in  a  wide  circle  and  finally  disappeared 
over  the  peak  where  first  seen. 

The  boys  sat  for  a  while  in  silence,  gazing 
away  in  the  distance,  where  the  noble  bird 
had  vanished,  half-expecting  it  to  reappear 
and  probably  press  its  attack ;  but  it  had  taken 
its  flight  for  good  and  was  seen  no  more. 

"I  wonder  whether  we  would  have  done 
any  better  if  we  had  brought  a  dog  with  us?" 
said  Jack,  beginning  to  feel  a  trifle  discour 
aged  over  their  failure  to  secure  a  shot  at  any 
game. 

"  I  proposed  bringing  my  dog,  you  remem 
ber,  when  we  left  home,  but  you  thought  we 
could  do  better  out  here.  Hank  and  the  rest 
of  them  don't  seem  to  place  much  value  on 
the  animals  in  hunting.  Did  you  hear  that?" 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  205 

From  some  point  not  very  far  off  came 
the  report  of  a  rifle,  though  whether  it  was 
the  weapon  of  Hank  Hazletine  or  one  of  the 
Indians  that  had  been  discharged,  neither 
could  guess. 

"  Somebody  else  is  in  luck,  and  I  don't  see 
why  we  should  not " 

Before  Fred  could  finish  his  sentence  both 
heard  the  rustling  of  bushes  behind  them. 
They  turned  on  the  instant,  and  saw  a  sight 
which  held  them  transfixed,  for  never  had 
they  expected  to  view  anything  of  the  kind. 

They  had  read  and  heard  much  of  grizzly 
bears.  They  knew  they  grew  to  an  enormous 
size,  and  are  the  most  formidable  animals 
found  in  the  great  West,  but  had  they  been 
told  that  there  were  such  monsters  as  the  one 
before  them  they  could  not  have  believed  it 
had  it  been  related  by  Hazletine  himself. 

To  Jack  and  Fred  he  seemed  fully  four 
times  the  size  of  the  largest  black  bear  they 
had  ever  seen  in  any  zoological  garden.  Had 
his  legs  been  longer,  Fred  Greenwood  would 
have  pronounced  him  the  equal  of  Jumbo 
himself. 


206  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Where  this  Colossus  among  beasts  had 
come  from  it  was  impossible  to  say,  but  the 
terrifying  fact  was  self-evident  that  he  was 
advancing  to  attack  the  boys ! 

He  must  have  caught  sight  of  them  as  they 
sat  on  the  rock  with  their  backs  toward  him, 
and,  angered  at  the  intrusion,  he  was  sweep 
ing  down  upon  them  like  a  cyclone,  furious 
and  determined  to  crush  them  out  of  exist 
ence. 

The  gait  of  the  animal  was  awkward,  but 
speedier  even  than  the  youths  suspected.  He 
swung  along  with  a  swaying  motion,  and  his 
claws,  striking  the  flinty  rocks  as  he  passed 
over  them,  rattled  like  iron  nails.  His  vast 
mouth  was  open,  his  long  red  tongue  lolling 
out,  and  his  white  teeth  gleaming.  As  if  no 
element  of  terror  was  to  be  omitted  he  uttered 
a  deep,  cavernous  growl  at  every  step  or  two, 
while  his  comparatively  small  black  eyes 
seemed  to  glow  with  a  savage  light,  altogether 
foreign  to  the  species. 

All  this  was  taken  in  at  the  first  glance  of 
the  boys,  who,  petrified  for  one  moment,  real 
ized  in  the  next  their  fearful  peril. 


L_ 


A  KING  OF  THE  FOREST.  2Q7 

"  There's  no  time  to  shoot !"  exclaimed 
Jack  ;  "  we  must  run  !" 

"  But  he  can  run  faster  than  we  !"  replied 
Fred,  who  stood  his  ground  long  enough  to 
bring  his  Winchester  to  his  shoulder  and  let 
fly  straight  at  the  front  of  the  beast.  That  he 
struck  the  bear  was  certain,  but  it  served  only 
to  add  to  his  towering  rage,  and  he  plunged 
forward  without  halt. 

Jack  had  made  no  attempt  to  fire,  but  was 
running  at  headlong  speed.  Fred  was  eager  to 
thrust  another  cartridge  into  the  chamber  of 
his  Winchester  from  the  magazine,  but  to  do 
so  would  detain  him  until  old  Ephraim  was 
upon  him,  and  even  then  it  was  not  likely 
the  bullet  would  stay  or  affect  his  attack. 

Accordingly,  instead  of  firing  a  second 
shot  he  whirled  about  and  dashed  after  Jack, 
who  was  thus  placed  about  a  rod  in  advance. 
Although  the  ground  was  not  favorable  for 
running,  it  may  be  safely  said  that  neither  Jack 
Dudley  nor  Fred  Greenwood  ever  gave  such 
an  exhibition  of  speed.  They  held  fast  to 
their  rifles,  for  it  looked  as  if  the  weapons 
were  to  be  their  final  reliance. 


208  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Fred  glanced  over  his  shoulder  to  learn 
how  he  was  making  out  in  the  race.  With  an 
awful  sinking  he  saw  that  the  grizzly  was 
gaining  fast  upon  him.  Still  he  dared  not 
pause  long  enough  to  fire,  but  redoubled  his 
energies,  only  to  catch  his  foot  in  a  running 
vine  and  plunge  forward  on  his  face. 


THE  TUG  OF  WAR.  209 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

THE    TUG   OF    WAR. 

JACK  DUDLEY,  being  some  paces  in 
advance  of  Fred  Greenwood,  and  alarmed 
for  him  because  of  his  greater  peril,  had 
slightly  slackened  his  speed,  for  he  was  not 
the  one  to  seek  safety  at  the  expense  of  his 
comrade.  The  instant  he  saw  him  fall  he 
stopped  short,  and,  wheeling  about,  fired  at 
the  grizzly,  and  pumping  a  second  cartridge 
into  the  chamber  of  his  Winchester,  let  fly 
again,  both  shots  striking  the  beast,  who  was 
so  close  that  a  miss  was  impossible. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  Fred,  having 
pitched  forward  on  his  hands  and  knees,  did 
not  remain  thus.  No  hunter,  even  if  a  youth, 
gives  up  so  long  as  there  is  a  fighting  chance 
for  life.  He  instantly  leaped  to  his  feet,  and 
a  couple  of  bounds  placed  him  beyond  reach, 
for  the  moment,  of  his  terrible  enemy. 

The  bear  seemed  to  understand  who  had 

14 


210  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

wounded  him  last,  and,  although  closer  to 
Fred  than  to  his  companion,  he  swerved  to 
the  left  and  headed  for  Jack  Dudley.  The 
latter  did  not  stay  on  the  order  of  his  going, 
but  made  off  at  his  highest  speed.  Brief  as 
was  the  halt,  it  wrought  a  complete  change 
of  situation.  Whereas  Fred  had  been  in  the 
greatest  danger,  Jack  was  now  thus  placed, 
because  the  grizzly  was  closer  to  him.  Not 
only  that,  but,  ignoring  the  younger  lad,  he 
gave  his  whole  attention  to  Jack. 

Events  were  going  with  such  a  rush  that 
the  boys  were  almost  overwhelmed  before  they 
could  help  themselves.  Fred  supposed  the 
bear  was  at  his  heels  until,  having  run  a 
couple  of  rods,  he  glanced  over  his  shoulder 
and  saw  the  imminent  peril  of  Jack.  Then, 
with  a  thrill  of  alarm,  he  in  his  turn  checked 
his  flight,  and  bringing  his  Winchester  to  a 
level  drove  a  bullet  into  the  immense  head 
of  the  brute,  which  by  that  time  had  received 
a  respectable  amount  of  lead  in  his  carcass, 

But  "  old  Ephraim  "  seemed  to  have  deter 
mined  to  dispose  of  the  fugitives  in  the  reverse 
order  of  their  ages ;  that  is  to  say,  having 


THE  TUG  OF  WAR.  211 

changed  his  attentions  to  Jack  Dudley,  he  did 
not  mean  to  be  diverted  therefrom,  even 
though  the  younger  lad  was  showing  disagree 
able  interest  in  him. 

This  peculiar  turn  of  affairs  gave  Fred  his 
favorable  chance ;  arid,  standing  motionless, 
he  continued  his  miniature  bombardment  as 
fast  as  he  could  shove  the  cartridges  into  the 
chamber  of  his  weapon,  aim,  and  fire.  Surely 
the  bullets,  all  of  which  found  a  lodgment 
somewhere  in  the  anatomy  of  the  monster, 
must  have  produced  an  effect,  but  they  could 
not  divert  him  from  his  main  purpose.  He 
bore  down  upon  the  apparently  doomed  Jack 
Dudley  as  if  he  would  not  be  denied. 

This  fact  caused  Fred  to  be  thrown  partly 
to  the  rear,  so  that  the  remarkable  combat 
took  the  form  of  the  grizzly  pursuing  one  of 
the  boys,  while  the  other  boy  was  pursuing 
the  grizzly.  The  position  of  Fred,  however, 
thus  became  unfavorable,  for  he  was  unable 
to  aim  at  any  vulnerable  portion  of  the  creat 
ure.  He  continued  firing  into  his  body,  but 
the  bullets  produced  no  perceptible  effect  in 
this  fight  for  life. 


212  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Meanwhile  the  situation  of  Jack  Dudley 
became  perilous  to  the  last  degree.  To  stop 
and  fire  insured  his  certain  seizure  by  the 
grizzly,  who  would  require  but  a  moment  to 
tear  the  life  from  him.  Jack  saw  him  so 
near,  indeed,  that  he  did  that  which  no  person 
would  do  except  in  the  last  extremity.  He 
flung  away  his  rifle,  that  it  might  not  impede 
his  flight,  and  concentrated  all  his  energies 
into  the  one  effort  of  running. 

He  had  no  time  to  look  where  he  was  going. 
He  could  only  strive  with  the  desperation  of 
despair  to  preserve  the  distance  between  him 
and  his  pursuer,  in  the  faint  hope  that  some 
thing  would  intervene  to  save  him.  Fred 
was  not  only  firing  his  gun  as  fast  as  he  could, 
but  he  shouted  to  the  bear,  in  the  hope  of  di 
verting  his  attention  from  Jack,  who  could 
not  keep  up  the  unequal  flight  much  longer. 

The  terrified  fugitive  leaped  over  boulders, 
dashed  around  interposing  rocks,  and  bounded 
across  open  spaces,  hardly  daring  to  look  over 
his  shoulder,  for  he  knew  from  the  sounds  of 
pursuit  that  the  animal  was  at  his  heels.  It 
seemed  every  moment  as  if  the  prodigious 


THE  TUG  OF  WAK.  213 

paw  of  the  grizzly  would  smite  him  to  the 
earth,  when  no  human  power  could  save  him. 

Suddenly  the  fugitive,  while  dashing  for 
ward  in  this  blind,  headlong  fashion,  found 
himself  confronted  by  the  canyon  with  which 
he  and  Fred  had  already  had  a  memorable 
experience.  It  yawned  at  right  angles  to  the 
course  he  was  following,  its  width  so  great 
that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  leap  it  at 
that  point.  But  he  knew  there  must  be  some 
such  place,  and  he  continued  his  flight  along 
the  side  of  the  chasm,  hunting  for  a  spot  that 
would  permit  him  to  reach  the  other  bank. 

He  did  not  stop  to  think  how  this  could 
benefit  him,  for  it  was  to  be  supposed  that  if 
the  grizzly  could  outrun  he  could  also  outleap 
him,  and  the  moment  the  fugitive  landed  on 
the  further  bank  the  brute  would  do  the  same, 
without  losing  an  inch  of  the  advantage  al 
ready  gained.  In  fact,  Jack  Dudley  had  no 
time  to  think  of  anything  except  to  run  with 
all  the  vigor  which  nature  had  given  him. 

All  at  once  he  saw  a  spot  where  the  feat 
looked  possible.  There  was  no  time  for  him 
to  turn  off  to  gain  the  momentum,  but,  meas- 


214  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

uring  the  interval  with  his  eye,  he  gathered 
his  muscles  and  leaped  outward.  The  jump 
was  diagonal,  and  made  under  most  difficult 
circumstances. 

Who  shall  describe  the  awful  thrill  that 
shot  through  Jack  Dudley  when,  at  the  mo 
ment  of  leaving  the  rocky  edge  of  the  rocky 
wall,  he  was  sure  he  was  about  to  fail  in  his 
last  effort  ?  The  other  margin  of  the  canyon 
wall  appeared  to  recede,  and  he  uttered  a  des 
pairing  cry,  certain  that  the  next  instant  he 
would  go  spinning  down  the  frightful  abyss. 

It  is  at  such  critical  times  that  the  question 
of  life  and  death  is  often  decided  by  incidents 
so  trifling  that  they  are  unnoticed.  Had  Jack 
Dudley  retained  his  Winchester  in  his  grasp 
he  would  have  been  lost.  It  would  not  have 
been  alone  the  weight  of  the  weapon,  but  its 
interference  with  the  free  use  of  his  hands. 
As  it  was,  the  latter  were  untrammeled,  and, 
though  his  feet  missed  a  firm  hold,  he  in 
stinctively  clutched  the  craggy  projections, 
and,  with  a  supreme  effort,  drew  himself  over 
the  margin  and  beyond  all  danger  of  falling 
back  into  the  canyon. 


THE  TUG  OF  WAK. 


215 


And  where,  all  this  time,  was  old  Ephraim  ? 
The  remark  just  made  concerning  the  effect 
of  trifles  was  shown  as  strikingly  in  his  case 
as  in  that  of  the  fugitive.     Despite  his  enor 
mous  weight  and  awkwardness  of  action,  the 
grizzly  without   special  exertion  could  have 
made  the  leap  that  had  just  been  exhibited 
before   his   eyes   had   he    been  in   his  usual 
condition,  but  it  has  been  shown  that  he  had 
been  struck  by  several  bullets.     Though  most 
of  these  inflicted  little  more  than  flesh  wounds, 
which  under  the  circumstances  were  trifling, 
yet  others  did  effective  work.     This  was  espe 
cially  the  case  with  those  that  found  a  lodg 
ment  in  his  head,  which,  big  and  tough  as  it 
was,  lacked  the  power  of  turning  aside  a  rifle- 
ball,  as  the  indurated   back  of  an  alligator 
often  does. 

It  is  to  be  supposed  that  the  enraged  grizzly 
did  not  comprehend  the  possible  weakening 
of  his  colossal  power  through  the  effect  of 
these  pellets,  and  it  is  quite  likely  that  even 
with  such  weakening  he  would  have  accom 
plished  the  leap  of  the  canyon,  but  for  the 
interference  of  an  incident  which  cannot  be 


216  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

considered  in  any  other  light  than  providen 
tial. 

Fred  Greenwood's  anguish  was  for  his  com 
panion,  whom  it  seemed  impossible  to  help, 
despite  the  desperate  effort  he  was  making  to 
do  so.  He  saw  the  grizzly  lumbering  after 
Jack,  giving  no  heed  to  the  shots  he  sent 
after  him,  but  steadily  gaining  upon  the  fugi 
tive,  whose  fate  hung  in  the  passing  of  the 
seconds.  Fred  knew  what  it  meant  when  his 
friend  abruptly  changed  his  course  and  began 
skirting  the  canyon  in  his  frantic  hunt  for  a 
narrower  place.  The  bear  was  so  close  upon 
him  for  several  paces  that  the  terrified  Fred 
stopped  short,  ceased  shooting,  and  held  his 
breath,  expecting  the  great  beast  to  strike 
down  his  comrade.  The  younger  lad  could 
do  no  more,  and,  staring  at  the  two,  he  asked 
in  agony  that  heaven  would  not  desert  his 
friend. 

Suddenly  Jack  Dudley  rose  like  a  bird  in 
air.  At  the  instant  the  monster  was  upon 
him  he  made  the  leap,  landing  on  the  further 
edge,  as  has  been  told,  and  quickly  scrambling 
upon  solid  foundation.  Had  he  been  ten 


THE  TUG  OF  WAR.  217 

seconds  later  nothing  could  have  saved  him, 
for  the  grizzly  showed  no  more  hesitation 
than  he  in  making  the  jump. 

At  the  instant  Fred  read  the  brute's  inten 
tion  he  brought  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder.  Un 
suspected  by  himself,  the  last  cartridge  in  the 
magazine  of  his  Winchester  was  in  the  cham 
ber  of  the  weapon,  so  that,  if  it  failed  to  help, 
the  service  of  the  younger  lad  was  at  an  end 
for  the  time,  for  it  would  be  all  over  before 
he  could  bring  into  use  any  cartridges  from, 
his  belt. 

To  make  the  leap  to  which  we  have  referred 
the  grizzly  changed  his  position.  Until  that 
moment  he  had  been  running  straight  away 
from  Fred,  but  now,  of  necessity,  he  turned 
partly  toward  him.  Kecalling  the  words  of 
Hank  Hazletine,  Fred  aimed  at  a  point  just 
back  of  the  foreleg,  as  it  reached  forward. 
The  ball  sped  true  to  its  aim,  and  entering, 
perhaps,  the  most  vulnerable  point  of  the 
body,  did  more  than  all  the  other  bullets  that 
had  found  a  lodging-place  in  the  grizzly,  for 
it  inflicted  a  mortal  wound. 

It  was  this  fact  that  destroyed  the  effort  of 


218  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the  bear  at  the  crisis  of  its  inception.  The 
attempt  already  put  forth  carried  him  well 
beyond  the  side  of  the  canyon,  but  it  failed  to 
land  him  firmly  on  the  other  margin.  His 
forepaws  went  over  the  top,  precisely  as  the 
hands  of  Jack  Dudley  had  done,  and  began  a 
furious  scratching  of  the  flinty  surface,  while 
the  hind  feet  clawed  with  equal  fierceness  the 
inner  side  of  the  wall.  The  brute  was  striv 
ing  to  save  himself,  and  it  is  to  be  presumed 
would  have  done  so  but  for  the  cause  named. 

That  last  shot  told  the  story.  The  shot 
had  seriously  weakened  the  bear,  and  his 
mighty  strength  was  fast  oozing  away.  His 
struggles  grew  less  vigorous,  though  they 
continued  up  to  the  last  moment.  Jack  Dud 
ley  had  become  aware  of  what  was  going  on, 
and,  stopping  in  his  flight,  shouted : 

"Shoot   him,   Fred,   before    he  can  climb 

out!" 

Fred  attempted  to  do  so,  but  discovered  he 
had  no  more  cartridges  at  command.  Since 
the  bear  at  best  could  not  harm  the  younger, 
he  ran  forward  to  the  side  of  the  canyon,  just 
behind  the  beast.  Jack  had  paused,  so  that 


THE  TUG  OF  WAK.  219 

both  were  looking  at  the  grizzly,  whose  huge 
head  and  massive  shoulders  protruded  above 
the  edge  of  the  canyon.  While  they  looked 
the  head  dropped  from  sight,  followed  by  the 
forefeet,  whose  claws  scratched  over  the  flinty 
surface  as  they  slipped  backward. 

Knowing  what  had  occurred,  Jack  and 
Fred  ran  to  the  edge  and  looked  down.  They 
were  in  time  to  see  the  mountainous  bulk 
tumbling  into  the  vast  chasm.  The  body 
maintained  a  horizontal  posture,  as  in  life, 
until  it  struck  a  projecting  point  which  sent 
it  bounding  against  the  other  side,  where  the 
impact  added  to  the  tendency  of  the  first  blow, 
and  the  body  turned  over  and  over,  like  an 
immense  log  rolling  down  hill.  Despite  the 
gloom  of  the  abyss  the  sun  was  shining  so 
brightly,  and  was  in  such  a  favorable  position, 
that  everything  was  seen  with  distinctness. 

Peering  downward,  the  awed  and  grateful 
boys  saw  the  black  mass  suddenly  strike  the 
foamy  waters  and  send  the  spray  flying  in  all 
directions.  It  disappeared  for  a  moment  and 
then  popped  up  like  a  rubber-ball,  and  went 
dancing  down  the  current  toward  the  break  in 


220  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the    walls   which    they    had  visited  a    brief 
while  before. 

Still  silent  and  watching,  they  observed  it 
dancing  up  and  down  with  the  violence  of  the 
stream  until  its  motion  was  arrested  by  strik 
ing  an  obstruction,  which  held  it  motionless. 
There  it  stayed  for  the  remaining  minutes 
spent  in  peering  into  the  abyss. 

Jack  and  Fred  looked  up  and  across  the 
canyon  at  the  same  instant.  They  were  di 
rectly  opposite,  and  hardly  twelve  feet  apart. 
The  elder  took  off  his  hat  and  called : 

"  Are  you  ready  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Fred,  removing  his  head-gear. 

"All  together!" 

And  then  they  swung  their  hats  and  hur 
rahed  with  the  vim  which,  all  things  consid 
ered,  was  justified  by  events.  They  were 
happy  and  grateful,  and  neither  forgot  to 
thank,  with  all  the  fervency  of  his  nature,  the 
One  who  had  delivered  them  in  safety  from 
the  very  jaws  of  death.  No  matter  what 
other  dangers  might  come  to  them,  there 
could  be  none  narrower  or  more  striking  than 
that  through  which  they  had  just  passed. 


THE  TUG  OF  WAE.  221 

"  Do  you  intend  to  stay  on  that  side  of  the 
canyon  ?"  asked  Fred. 

"  I  don't  know  that  there  is  any  choice  be 
tween  our  places,  but  if  you  feel  lonely  I'll 
come  over  to  your  help." 

"  I  thought  you  might  want  to  pick  up  the 
gun  you  threw  away." 

Jack  looked  at  each  of  his  hands  in  turn 
and  laughed. 

"  Do  you  know  I  had  forgotten  all  about 
that?  I  don't  remember  having  thrown  it 
aside." 

"  I  saw  you  do  it,  and  it  was  a  lucky  thing 
you  did." 

The  two  walked  beside  the  canyon  until  they 
came  to  a  straight  place,  where  Jack  easily 
made  the  leap  and  joined  his  friend.  Then 
they  set  out  to  recover  the  Winchester,  which, 
as  matters  stood,  was  almost  beyond  value  to 
them. 

"  I  can't  recall  the  spot  where  I  dropped 
it,"  remarked  Jack,  allowing  his  companion 
to  take  the  lead. 

"I  do;  you  and  I  were  doing  such  tall  run 
ning  then,  and  for  some  minutes  afterward, 


222  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

that  we  covered  more  ground  than  would  be 
supposed.     That's  the  spot,  just  ahead." 

He  indicated  an  open  space,  thirty  or  forty 
feet  in  width,  lying  between  a  ridge  of 
boulders,  over  which  it  was  astonishing  how 
the  fugitive  had  managed  to  make  such  good 
progress. 

"  We  shall  find  it  right  there " 

Fred  checked  his  words,  for  at  that  moment 
they  came  upon  the  spot  he  had  in  mind  and 
both  swept  their  gaze  over  it.  Their  dismav 
may  be  imagined  when  they  saw  nothing  of 
the  Winchester. 

"  You  must  be  mistaken  as  to  the  place/' 
said  Jack. 

"  I  can't  be  ;  it  was  just  after  you  had  leaped 
down  from  that  low  boulder  that  you  gave  your 
right  arm  a  swing  and  away  the  gun  went." 
"  Did  you  notice  where  it  landed  ?" 
"  I  can  put  my  hand  on  the  very  spot." 
"Do  so." 

Fred  led  the  way  a  few  paces  and  said : 
"  It  was  there,  and  nowhere  else." 
Jack  bent  over  and  carefully  studied  the 
earth, 


THE  TUG  OF  WAR.  223 

"My  gracious!  you  are  right;  that  dent  in 
the  ground  was  made  by  the  stock  of  ray  gun, 
and  it  couldn't  have  gone  its  own  length 
further." 

The  space  was  clear  for  several  yards,  and 
they  would  have  discerned  a  small  coin  lying 
anywhere  on  it,  but  nothing  suggesting  a 
weapon  was  in  sight. 

A  momentary  consternation  took  possession 
of  them.  Only  one  conclusion  was  possible : 
some  person  had  taken  the  Winchester. 

"  Do  you  suppose  it  was  Hank,  who  wanted 
to  have  some  fun  with  us  ?"  asked  Fred. 

Jack  shook  his  head. 

"  At  any  other  time  I  might  believe  it,  but 
Hank  isn't  one  to  look  for  fun  when  the  lives 
of  two  persons  are  in  danger.  It  wasn't  he." 

"  Who,  then,  could  it  be  ?" 

Again  Jack  shook  his  head. 

"  You  know  there  are  a  number  of  Indians 
hunting  in  this  neighborhood.  Some  of  them 
may  have  been  near  us,  and,  hearing  our  cries 
and  the  reports  of  our  guns,  started  to  find 
out  what  it  meant.  Coming  upon  my  Win 
chester,  they  carried  it  off." 


224  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

This  was  the  most  reasonable  explanation 
they  could  think  of,  but  it  did  not  lessen  their 
disappointment  at  the  loss  of  the  indispen 
sable  weapon. 

"  I  won't  stand  it !"  exclaimed  Jack,  whose 
indignation  was  rising ;  "  the  man  who  took 
that  gun  must  give  it  back!" 

It  was  impossible  to  know  in  what  direction 
to  look  for  the  pilferer,  but  the  youth's  long 
strides  led  him  toward  the  break  in  the  walls 
of  the  canyon  where  they  had  seen  the  three 
Indians  earlier  in  the  forenoon.  Whether  it 
was  reasonable  to  expect  to  find  them,  or  rather 
the  thief,  there,  would  be  hard  to  say,  but  Jack 
did  find  the  one  for  whom  he  was  looking. 

Half  the  intervening  distance  was  passed, 
when  he  turned  his  head  and  said  in  an  ex 
cited  undertone  to  his  companion  : 

"  He's  just  ahead,  and  as  sure  as  I  live  the 
thief  is  Motozal" 

Before  Fred,  slightly  at  the  rear,  could  gain 
sight  of  the  Indian,  Jack  broke  into  a  lope 
and  called : 

"Hold  on  there,  Motoza!  You  have  some 
thing  that  belongs  to  me." 


THE  TUG  OF  WAR.  225 

The  dusky  vagrant  was  alone  and  walking 
at  a  moderate  pace  from  the  youth.  Although 
he  did  not  look  around  until  hailed  he  must 
have  known  he  was  followed,  but  he  stopped 
short  and  wheeled  about  with  a  wondering 
expression  on  his  painted  face. 

There  could  be  no  mistake  by  Jack  Dud 
ley,  for  Motoza  was  carrying  two  Winchesters, 
one  in  either  hand,  and  a  glance  enabled 
the  youth  to  recognize  his  own  property. 

"Howdy,  brother?"  asked  Motoza,  with  the 
old  grin  on  his  face. 

Jack  was  too  angry  to  be  tactful.  He  con 
tinued  his  rapid  strides,  and  as  he  drew  near 
reached  out  his  hand. 

"  Never  mind  how  I  do ;  give  me  my  rifle." 

But  with  the  fingers  of  Jack  almost  on  the 
weapon,  Motoza  shifted  his  hand  backward, 
so  that  the  gun  was  held  behind  his  body. 
He  did  not  stir,  but  continued  grinning. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  demanded  Jack,  his 
face  flushed,  and  his  anger  greater  than  before ; 
"  didn't  you  hear  me  ask  for  my  gun  ?" 

"  Whooh !  brother  frow  way  gun — me  pick 
him  up — he  mine." 

15 


226  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  I  threw  it  down  so  as  to  have  a  better 
chance  of  getting  away  from  the  grizzly  bear; 
I  intended  to  pick  it  up  again.  I  know  you 
are  a  great  thief,  Motoza,  but  you  can't  steal 
that  Winchester  from  me ;  hand  it  over !" 

And  Jack  extended  his  hand  again;  but  the 
Sioux  persisted  in  keeping  the  weapon  behind 
him,  though  his  own  was  in  front,  where  the 
lad  might  have  been  tempted  to  snatch  it 
from  his  grasp. 

The  youth  was  fast  losing  his  self-command. 
He  had  learned  the  character  of  this  va 
grant  from  Hazletine,  and  it  was  plain  that 
he  meant  to  retain  the  valuable  weapon,  while 
Jack  was  equally  determined  he  should  not. 

"I  tell  you  for  the  last  time  to  give  me  my 
gun  !  Do  you  hear  ?" 

The  demand  was  made  in  a  loud  voice  and 
accompanied  by  a  threatening  step  toward  the 
Indian,  who  showed  no  fear.  The  grin,  how 
ever,  had  left  his  face,  and  he  recoiled  a  step 
with  such  a  tigerish  expression  on  his  ugly 
countenance  that  his  assailant  ought  to  have 
been  warned  of  his  danger.  Motoza,  the 
Sioux,  was  ready  to  commit  murder  for  the 


THE  TUG  OF  WAR.  227 

sake  of  retaining  that  which  did  not  belong 
to  him. 

"Stop!"  commanded  Fred  Greenwood, 
whom  both  seemed  to  have  forgotten  in  the 
flurry  of  the  moment. 

The  younger  was  standing  a  little  to  the 
rear  and  to  one  side,  but  his  Winchester,  it 
will  be  remembered,  was  in  his  hand,  and  was 
now  pointed  at  the  dusky  scamp. 

"Motoza,  if  you  want  to  preserve  that  sweet 
countenance  of  yours,  hand  that  gun  to  my 
friend  before  I  let  daylight  through  you !" 


228  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A    STEANGE    OCCURRENCE. 

ONCE  more  Motoza  had  allowed  an  Amer 
ican  youth  to  get  the  drop  on  him,  for 
he  could  not  mistake  the  meaning  of  that 
command,  nor  the  deeper  eloquence  of  the 
pose  of  Fred  Greenwood  with  his  rifle  at  a 
dead  level.  The  Sioux  must  have  despised 
himself  for  his  forgetfulness. 

But  he  had  already  proven  the  readiness 
with  which  he  accepted  a  situation,  no  matter 
how  unwelcome.  The  hand  that  held  the 
weapon  of  Jack  Dudley  whipped  round  to  the 
front  with  a  deft  movement,  which,  however, 
was  not  quicker  than  the  return  of  the  grin 
to  his  countenance. 

"Motoza  friend — he  not  want  gun  of 
brother,"  he  remarked. 

"  You  wouldn't  get  it  if  you  did  want  it," 
said  Jack,  not  to  be  mollified  by  this  sudden 


A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE.  229 

change  of  front.  Instead  of  accepting  the 
hypocritical  proffer,  the  youth  was  imprudent 
enough  to  add,  as  he  felt  his  Winchester  once 
more  in  his  grasp  : 

"You  are  the  meanest  thief  in  the  country, 
Motoza,  and  this  must  be  the  last  time  you 
try  your  hand  on  us." 

"  Off  with  you!'7  added  Fred,  beginning  to 
tire  with  the  constraint  of  his  position ;  "  good- 
by,  Motoza,  and  I  hope  we  shall  not  meet 


again." 


At  the  moment  of  obeying,  the  Sioux 
glanced  at  the  lad  who  had  thus  turned  the 
tables  on  him.  The  expression  of  his  face 
was  frightful.  Ferocious  hate,  thirst  for  re 
venge  and  flaming  anger  shone  through  the 
coat  of  paint  and  were  concentrated  on  the 
younger  of  the  youths.  Fred  saw  it  and 
cared  not,  but  Jack  was  so  alarmed  that  he 
almost  wished  his  comrade  would  fire  his 
weapon  and  thus  shut  out  the  fruition  of  the 
horrible  threat  that  gleamed  through  that 
look. 

It  lasted,  however,  but  an  instant.  Much 
in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  grove,  when 


230  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

caught  at  a  disadvantage  by  Jack  Dudley,  the 
Sioux   walked   off  and   was  quickly   lost  to 

view. 

Neither  of  the  boys  spoke  for  several  min 
utes.  Then  Jack  asked,  in  an  awed  voice : 

"Did  you  see  his  face  when  he  turned 
toward  you  just  before  walking  away?" 

"  Yes  ;  and  I  have  seen  handsomer  ones/' 

"  You  may  make  light  of  it,  Fred,  but  I 
was  much  nearer  than  you,  and  that  expres 
sion  will  haunt  me  for  many  a  day  and  night 
to  come." 

To  the  astonishment  of  the  elder,  Fred  be 
gan  laughing,  as  if  he  found  it  all  very 
amusing.  Jack,  in  surprise,  asked  the  cause 
of  his  mirth. 

"  If  Motoza  had  only  known  the  truth  ! 
There  isn't  a  cartridge  either  in  the  magazine 
or  the  chamber  of  my  rifle,  which  reminds 


And  still  laughing,  the  younger  proceeded 
to  fill  the  magazine  from  his  belt  and  to  put 
his  Winchester  in  condition  for  immediate  use. 

"We  have  been  told  many  times,  Jack, 
that  the  first  thing  to  do  after  firing  a  gun  is 


A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE.  231 

to  reload,  and  I  see  how  much  more  impor 
tant  it  is  here  than  at  home." 

When  Jack  came  to  examine  his  weapon 
he  found  a  half-dozen  cartridges  remaining 
in  the  magazine,  and  he,  too,  placed  the 
weapon  in  the  best  form  for  use.  They 
changed  their  position,  returning  to  the  spot 
where  the  crisis  had  taken  place  with  the 
grizzly,  for  both  felt  some  misgiving  concern 
ing  the  Sioux,  who  could  not  be  far  off. 

"  Jack,  what  about  the  feelings  of  Motoza 
now  ?" 

"  It  begins  to  look  as  if  Hank  was  right. 
I  am  sure  the  Indian  doesn't  hold  much 
friendship  for  either  of  us.  He  is  bad  clean 
through." 

"  He  may  have  some  regard  for  you,  but 
there  wasn't  much  tender  affection  in  the  last 
lingering  look  he  gave  me" 

Jack  shuddered. 

"  I  never  saw  anything  like  it.  If  he  had 
had  the  power  he  would  have  killed  you  with 
that  look.  I  feel  like  urging  Hank,  when  we 
next  see  him,  to  make  a  change  of  quarters." 

"  Why  ?" 


TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

'  That  we  may  find  some  section  where  we 
are  not  likely  to  meet  Motoza  again.  I  don't 
understand  why  so  many  Indians  are  off  the 
reservation.  There  must  be  a  number  of 
them  that  are  friends  of  Motoza,  and  they 
will  try  some  other  trick  on  us.'7 

"  He  has  tried  one  or  two  already,"  replied 
Fred,  much  less  impressed  with  the  danger 
than  his  friend. 

'  True,  we  have  had  remarkably  good  for 
tune,  but  it  can't  last.  Motoza  will  learn  to 
be  more  cunning  next  time." 

"  If  you  feel  that  way,  Jack,  the  best  thing 
for  us  to  do  is  to  go  home." 

"  Your  words  are  hardly  worthy  of  you, 
Fred,"  replied  Jack,  hurt  at  the  slur. 

"  I  ask  your  pardon.  I  know  it  is  your 
friendship  for  me  that  speaks,  but  I  cannot 
feel  the  fear  that  disturbs  you.  Suppose  we 
drop  the  question  till  we  see  Hank.  We  will 
let  him  know  everything  that  has  taken  place 
and  rely  upon  him." 

This  was  a  wise  conclusion,  but  the  fact 
remained  that  there  was  no  expectation  of 
seeing  their  guide  until  night,  which  was  a 


A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE.  233 

number  of  hours  distant,  and,  since  the  In 
dians  were  in  the  vicinity,  there  was  plenty 
of  time  for  a  great  many  things  to  happen. 
It  would  seem,  indeed,  that  the  advantage  was 
almost  entirely  on  the  side  of  Motoza,  for, 
with  his  superior  woodcraft,  he  could  keep 
track  of  the  movements  of  the  boys  without 
their  discovering  or  suspecting  his  presence. 
Altogether,  it  looked  as  if  a  meeting  with  their 
guide  could  not  take  place  too  soon. 

From  a  point  perhaps  a  mile  away  came 
the  faint  report  of  a  rifle,  followed  in  the  same 
second  by  another  report.  The  fact  suggested 
more  than  one  startling  supposition,  but  the 
youths  were  in  no  mood  to  speculate  thereon, 
for  it  will  be  admitted  that  the  incidents  of 
the  forenoon  were  sufficient  to  engage  their 
thoughts. 

It  was  a  hard  fact,  however,  that  when  they 
looked  at  their  watches  and  found  that  it  was 
noon,  the  most  interesting  subject  that  pre 
sented  itself  was  as  to  how  they  could  secure 
the  meal  which  they  felt  was  overdue. 

"  Let's  make  a  hunt  in  a  different  direc 
tion,"  said  Fred.  "It  is  best  to  keep  away 


234  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

from  the  neighborhood  of  those  Indians,  so  far 
as  we  can  locate  them  from  the  shots  we  occa 
sionally  hear,  for  the  game  isn't  likely  to 
stay  where  they  are." 

"  Off  yonder  to  the  north  appears  to  be  a 
valley,"  remarked  Jack,  after  the  two  had 
studied  their  surroundings  for  some  minutes 
through  their  glasses.  "  I  can't  tell  how  ex 
tensive  it  is,  for  it  is  shut  out  by  that  moun 
tain  peak  on  the  right,  but  I  suppose  one 
place  is  as  good  as  another." 

Having  agreed  as  to  their  course,  they 
wasted  no  time.  It  was  a  long  and  severe 
tramp  to  the  locality,  for  again  the  peculiar 
purity  of  the  atmosphere  misled  them,  and 
what  they  took  to  be  one  mile  proved  to  be 
fully  double  that  length.  Finally  the  hungry 
lads  reached  a  ridge  from  whose  top  they 
could  look  down  in  the  valley  that  had  first 
caught  their  attention,  but  which  for  the  last 
hour  had  been  excluded  from  their  sight  by 
the  intervening  obstacles. 

"  Now,  we  can't  tell  whether  any  game  is 
below  waiting  for  us,"  said  Jack,  "but  we 
can't  lose  anything  by  acting  as  if  there  is." 


A  STRANGE  OCCUERENCE.  235 

It  was  a  wise  precaution,  as  speedily  be 
came  apparent.  As  carefully  as  a  couple  of 
Indians  they  picked  their  way  up  the  slope, 
and  just  before  reaching  the  crest  sank  upon 
their  knees,  and,  crawling  a  little  further, 
peeped  over  the  top  as  if  they  expected  to 
discover  a  hostile  camp  within  a  hundred 
yards. 

The  prospect  caused  an  involuntary  excla 
mation  of  pleasure  from  both.  The  valley 
was  two  or  three  hundred  yards  in  width, 
and,  after  winding  past,  curved  out  of  sight 
behind  the  mountain  range  already  referred 
to.  It  was  one  emerald  mass  of  rich  grass,  in 
which  ten  thousand  cattle  could  have  found 
abundant  pasturage.  No  trees  appeared  any 
where  except  at  the  furthest  bend  in  the  val 
ley,  where  a  small  grove  stood  near  the 
middle,  and  seemed  to  surround  a  spring  of 
water,  which,  flowing  in  the  other  direction, 
was  not  within  sight  of  the  young  hunters. 

What  lent  additional  beauty  to  this  land 
scape  was  the  singular  uniformity  of  the  val 
ley.  The  slope  was  gentle  on  each  side,  with 
out  any  abrupt  declivities,  and  there  was 


236  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

hardly  any  variation  in  its  width.  The  dark- 
green  color  of  the  incline  and  bottom  of  the 
valley  gave  the  whole  scene  a  softness  that 
would  have  charmed  an  artist. 

The  young  men  admired  the  picturesque 
prospect,  the  like  of  which  they  had  never 
before  viewed,  and  yet  it  must  be  confessed 
that  one  feature  of  the  landscape  appealed 
more  strongly  to  them  than  all  the  rest.  Per 
haps  a  half-mile  away  six  or  eight  antelope 
were  cropping  the  grass,  unconscious  of  the 
approach  of  danger.  They  were  near  the 
small  clump  of  trees  alluded  to,  and  may 
have  lately  drank  from  the  water  flowing 
therefrom.  They  were  in  a  bunch,  all  their 
heads  down,  and  had  evidently  taken  no  alarm 
from  the  occasional  distant  reports  of  guns. 

"  I  say,  Jack,  there's  a  splendid  dinner  I" 
whispered  Fred,  excitedly. 

"  What  good  will  it  do  us,  so  long  as  it  is 
there  f  I  should  like  to  have  it  here." 

"It  ought  to  be  easy  to  pick  off  one  of  those 
creatures ;  Hank  told  us  they  make  fine  eat 
ing." 

"  That  is  all  true,  but  it  is  also  true  that  the 


A  STEANGE  OCCURRENCE.  237 

antelope  is  one  of  the  most  timid  of  creatures, 
and  the  best  hunter  finds  it  hard  work  to  get 
within  reach  of  them." 

"  You  know  how  curious  they  are  ?  The 
men  at  the  ranch  told  the  other  night  about 
lying  down  in  the  grass  in  the  middle  of  a 
prairie  and  holding  up  a  stick  with  a  hand 
kerchief  at  the  end  of  it.  Timid  as  was  the 
antelope,  it  would  gradually  draw  near  to  find 
out  what  the  thing  meant,  and  pay  for  its 
curiosity  with  its  life." 

Such  incidents  are  quite  common  in  the 
West,  but  neither  of  the  boys  felt  it  safe  to 
rely  upon  the  stratagem.  They  feared  that 
at  the  first  attempt  the  antelope  would  take 
fright  and  make  off  beyond  recovery,  and 
Fred  Greenwood's  proposition  was  adopted. 

"  There  doesn't  seem  to  be  any  wind  blow 
ing,  but  if  we  try  to  steal  down  the  side  of 
the  valley  we  are  sure  to  frighten  them  off. 
Now,  if  you  will  stay  here,  Jack,  I'll  pick  my 
way  round  to  the  other  side,  so  that  the  herd 
will  be  between  us.  Then  I'll  do  my  best  to 
get  near  enough  for  a  shot ;  if  I  fail,  they 
will  run  for  this  point  and  come  within 


238  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

range  of  you.  Between  us  two,  one  is  certain 
to  get  a  shot  at  them." 

"  It's  putting  a  big  lot  of  work  on  you, 
Fred,"  said  the  chivalrous  Jack. 

"  It  won't  be  half  as  hard  to  bear  as  the 
hunger  I'll  feel  in  the  course  of  an  hour  or 
two  if  we  don't  get  one  of  them." 

The  plan  was  so  simple  that  no  explanation 
was  necessary.  Jack  Dudley  had  only  to  re 
main  extended  on  the  ground  where  he  was, 
with  his  Winchester  ready,  and  keep  an  eye 
on  the  little  herd,  which  could  not  observe 
him  unless  he  was  unusually  careless.  He 
could  easily  judge  of  Fred's  success  or  failure 
by  watching  the  animals,  and  it  would  seem 
that  success  was  almost  certain  for  one  of  the 
young  hunters.  The  only  thing  to  be  feared 
was  that  Fred  would  betray  himself  before 
reaching  the  other  side  of  the  game  that  was 
so  tempting  to  both. 

The  comrades  looked  at  their  watches  at 
the  moment  of  separating,  and  found  it  was 
precisely  one  o'clock.  Fred  gave  himself  an 
hour  to  reach  a  point  from  which  to  start  on 
his  return,  though  it  was  possible  that  double 


A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE.  239 

that  time  would  be  required.  Before  the  in 
terval  had  expired  Jack  had  his  glass  to  his 
eyes,  and  was  studying  the  valley  below. 

As  the  antelope  cropped  the  rich  grass  they 
occasionally  took  a  step  in  the  direction  of  the 
watcher;  but  the  largest  one,  evidently  the 
leader,  changed  his  course  so  as  to  work  back 
toward  the  little  grove  of  trees,  the  others  fol 
lowing.  Now  and  then  the  leader  raised  his 
head  and  looked  around,  as  if  suspecting  dan 
ger,  though  his  fears  were  not  confirmed.  At 
longer  intervals  other  members  of  the  herd 
did  the  same,  but  it  was  evident  that  they 
neither  saw  nor  scented  anything  amiss. 

Jack's  constant  fear  was  that  Fred  would 
betray  himself  through  some  accident.  His 
course  would  bring  him  nearer  the  game  and 
the  risk  was  considerable;  but  as  the  minutes 
passed  without  anything  of  that  nature  taking 
place,  his  hope  increased. 

"More  than  likely  Fred  himself  will  get 
the  shot  instead  of  me.  It  makes  no  differ 
ence,  so  that  we  don't  lose  our  supper;  for," 
he  added,  dismally,  "the  dinner  is  already 
gone." 


240  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

When  another  half-hour  had  passed,  he 
was  sure  his  chum  was  on  the  other  side  of 
the  herd. 

"  There  must  be  a  break  pretty  soon.  Sup 
pose  that  instead  of  coming  toward  me,"  added 
Jack,  giving  expression  to  a  dread  that  had 
not  occurred  to  him  until  then,  "  they  dash 
off  into  the  mountains  on  either  side.  Then 
we  shall  be  doomed  to  starvation  i" 

He  thought  that  with  the  aid  of  his  glass 
he  would  be  able  to  follow  Fred  as  he  stole 
down  the  side  of  the  valley,  since  the  position 
of  the  spectator  was  much  more  elevated  than 
that  of  the  antelope.  It  would  require  sharp 
scrutiny  even  with  the  aid  of  the  instrument 
to  do  this,  and,  look  as  keenly  as  he  might, 
he  could  discover  nothing  that  suggested  any 
thing  of  that  nature. 

When  three  o'clock  went  by  without  any 
evidence  of  alarm  among  the  animals  brows 
ing  in  the  middle  of  the  valley,  Jack  Dudley 
began  to  wonder  what  it  could  mean. 

"Fred  was  sure  that  a  single  hour  was 
enough  to  place  himself  on  the  further  side  of 
them,  and  double  that  time  has  passed.  He 


A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE.  241 

ought  to  be  well  down  the  slope,  but  I  can  see 
nothing  of  him." 

One  fact,  however,  was  apparent :  the  ante 
lope  were  steadily  though  slowly  working  to 
ward  the  ridge  on  which  the  young  man  lay. 
At  the  rate  they  were  advancing  it  would  not 
be  long  before  it  would  be  safe  to  try  a  shot. 

This  progress  could  not  be  laid  to  any  alarm 
coming  from  the  other  side.  If  the  animals 
received  fright  they  would  be  off  with  the 
speed  of  the  wind,  instead  of  inching  along 
in  the  fashion  they  were  now  following. 

"  It  begins  to  look  as  if  I  am  to  secure  the 
meal,  after  all,"  thought  Jack,  forgetting  his 
slight  uneasiness  for  his  friend  in  his  growing 
excitement. 

The  following  minute  gave  proof  of  the 
timidity  of  the  American  antelope.  With  all 
the  care  possible,  the  youth  extended  his  gun 
in  front  of  him  over  the  slope,  but  the  herd 
took  the  alarm  on  the  instant,  though  it 
seemed  impossible  that  they  should  have  seen 
or  heard  anything.  The  leader  raised  his 
head,  and  whirling  to  one  side,  started  at  a 
swift  gallop  toward  the  other  end  of  the  val- 

16 


242  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

ley,  the  rest  of  the  animals  being  hardly  a 
second  behind  him. 

The  peculiar  panic  and  stampede  of  the 
creatures  gave  Jack  Dudley  the  best  possible 
target,  though  the  shot  was  a  long  one.  He 
did  not  aim  at  the  leader,  but  at  a  smaller  an 
imal  that  immediately  followed  him.  The 
bullet  pierced  the  heart  of  the  antelope,  which 
made  a  frenzied  leap  high  in  air,  staggered  a 
few  paces,  and  dropped  to  the  ground  without 
a  particle  of  life. 

"  Hurrah  !"  exclaimed  the  delighted  Jack, 
springing  up  and  dashing  down  the  side  of 
the  valley  toward  his  prize;  " I  beat  you,  after 
all,  Fred I" 

Not  doubting  that  his  comrade  would 
speedily  appear,  Jack  gave  no  further  thought 
to  him,  but  continued  running  until  he 
reached  the  prize.  He  had  learned  the  art  so 
rapidly  that  it  took  but  a  few  minutes  to  cut 
all  he  could  need  for  himself  and  friend. 
Then  he  hurried  to  the  little  grove  near  by, 
washed  and  dressed  the  food,  which  seemed 
to  be  juicy  and  tender,  and  started  a  fire  for 
the  purpose  of  broiling  it. 


A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE.  243 

He  had  not  paused  in  his  work  up  to  this 
point,  but  now  he  stopped  with  the  first  real 
thrill  of  alarm  for  his  friend. 

"Four  o'clock!"  he  exclaimed  to  himself ; 
"  what  can  have  become  of  him  ?" 

He  walked  to  the  edge  of  the  trees  and 
looked  out,  anxiously  peering  in  different  di 
rections,  but  nothing  was  seen  of  his  friend. 
Knowing  Fred's  waggish  nature,  Jack  hoped 
that  he  was  indulging  in  some  jest,  but  he 
could  not  quite  convince  himself  that  such 
was  the  fact.  The  hunger  of  Fred  would 
have  prevented  his  postponing  the  meal  one 
moment  longer  than  was  necessary. 

When  an  abundance  of  food  was  browned 
and  crisped  and  ready  the  appetite  of  Jack 
Dudley  was  less  than  it  was  two  hours  before, 
the  cause  being  his  growing  alarm  over  the 
unaccountable  absence  of  Fred. 

"  I  can't  understand  it,"  he  repeated  for  the 
twentieth  time;  "some  accident  must  have 
befallen  him.  Can  it  be  Motoza  has  had  any 
thing  to  do  with  it?" 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Jack  had  expressed 
this  fear  in  words,  but  it  was  by  no  means  the 


244  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

first  time  he  had  felt  it.  Eather  curiously, 
from  the  moment  his  friend  passed  out  of 
sight,  several  hours  before,  the  vague  misgiv 
ing  began  to  shape  itself  in  his  mind.  He 
fought  it  off  and  succeeded  in  repressing  it 
for  a  time,  but  he  could  do  so  no  longer. 

"Fred  didn't  seem  to  give  any  meaning  to 
that  awful  look  of  the  Sioux  when  he  started 
to  walk  away,  but  I  saw  what  it  meant,  though 
I  never  dreamed  the  blow  would  fall  so 


soon." 


His  heart  was  depressed  almost  beyond 
bearing,  and  the  anguish  was  deepened  by  the 
fact  that  he  could  see  no  way  of  helping  his 
friend.  The  only  thing  possible  was  to  fol 
low  as  nearly  as  he  could  the  course  taken  by 
Fred,  but  there  was  no  certainty  of  that.  He 
knew  he  had  turned  to  the  right  when  he  left 
the  crest  of  the  ridge,  after  which  there  had 
been  no  glimpse  of  him. 

"  But  he  made  for  a  point  over  yonder," 
reflected  Jack,  "and  there  I'll  search  for 
him." 

This  was  exceedingly  indefinite,  but  it  was 
better  than  standing  idle*  The  antelope  had 


A  STRANGE  OCCURRENCE.  245 

long  since  vanished,  and  there  was  no  need 
of  care  in  his  progress — rather  otherwise, 
since  he  desired  to  attract  the  notice  of  his 
friend.  Jack  broke  into  a  loping  trot,  emit 
ting  the  familiar  signal  so  often  used  by  both, 
calling  his  name,  and  even  firing  his  rifle  in 
air ;  but  there  came  back  no  response,  and  his 
fears  deepened. 

Jack  was  in  the  mood  to  be  unjust. 

"  I  don't  understand  Hank  Hazletine's  ac 
tion.  He  sets  out  to  take  us  on  a  hunt  among 
the  mountains,  and  then  goes  off  and  leaves 
us  alone.  Why  doesn't  he  stay  with  us  ?  If 
he  had  done  that,  this  never  could  have  hap 
pened.  Fred  and  I  can  generally  take  care 
of  ourselves,  but  we  are  not  used  to  this 
plagued  country,  which  I  wish  neither  he  nor 
I  had  ever  set  foot  in." 


246  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MISSING. 

THE   minute  quickly  arrived   when  Jack 
Dudley  could  no  longer  doubt  that  a 
great   misfortune  had  befallen  his  comrade, 
Fred  Greenwood. 

In  the  anguish  of  anxiety  Jack's  imagina 
tion  pictured  many  mishaps  that  might  ac 
count  for  the  disappearance.  He  must  have 
heard  the  report  of  the  elder's  Winchester, 
and,  since  Fred's  attention  was  centred  upon 
the  herd  of  antelope,  he  could  not  fail  to 
know  that  his  friend  had  secured  one  of  them 
for  their  evening  meal.  The  only  thing  to 
prevent  his  hastening  to  join  Jack  must  have 
been  his  inability  to  do  so.  There  was  the 
remote  possibility  that  his  accident  had  been 
of  a  nature  that  involved  no  one  else — such, 
for  instance,  as  sudden  illness,  though  Jack 
had  never  known  anything  like  that  to  over 
take  his  friend. 


MISSING.  247 

All  that  the  youth  could  do  was  to  attempt 
to  follow  the  route  that  Fred  had  taken  when 
he  set  out  to  place  himself  on  the  other  side 
of  the  game.  It  was  guesswork  to  trace  his 
footsteps,  but  the  elder  youth  made  the  effort. 
When  he  had  progressed  half  the  distance, 
however,  he  paused,  convinced  that  his  labor 
was  utterly  useless.  He  called  to  Fred,  re 
peated  their  familiar  signals  and  fired  several 
charges  in  air,  with  no  more  response  than 

at  first. 

"  He  has  been  either  killed  or  carried  off 
by  a  party  of  Indians,"  was  the  conclusion 
that  forced  itself  upon  him. 

And  with  this  conviction  came  the  certainty 
that  it  was  out  of  the  power  of  Jack  Dudley 
to  do  anything  for  his  friend.  He  might 
tramp  back  and  forth  for  nights  and  days,  but 
with  no  success,  for  Fred  Greenwood  was 
gone — whither  ? 

Had  Jack  been  skilled  in  woodcraft,  possi 
bly  he  might  have  discovered  some  signs 
along  the  valley  that  would  have  enlightened 
him,  but  he  was  untrained  in  the  ways  of  red 
men  and  was  not  equal  to  the  task.  A  dog 


248  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

that  knew  how  to  track  a  person  would  have 
been  of  immeasurable  value,  but  such  a  canine 
was  not  to  be  had. 

One  memory  clung  tormentingly  to  the 
searcher.  It  was  the  demoniac  face  of  Motoza, 
the  Sioux,  when  Fred  Greenwood  compelled 
him  to  return  the  Winchester  of  Jack.  There 
could  be  but  one  interpretation  of  that  expres 
sion,  and  it  boded  the  worst  for  the  missing 
youth. 

"  Motoza  feels  no  affection  for  me,  but  his 
hatred  of  Fred  is  so  intense  that  he  is  bent 
on  revenging  himself;  yet  I  did  not  think  he 
would  strike  so  soon." 

The  afternoon  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and 
Jack  was  fully  two  miles  from  camp.  If  he 
wished  to  reach  their  rendezvous  before  night 
he  had  no  time  to  waste.  The  problem  was 
now  in  the  shape  that  Hank  Hazletine's  help 
was  indispensable.  If  anyone  could  assist 
Fred  Greenwood,  the  guide  was  the  man. 

"  He  promised  to  meet  us  this  evening,  and 
if  I  wait  I  shall  lose  my  way." 

Accordingly  the  lad  faced  in  the  direction 
of  the  plateau  and  pressed  forward  with  en- 


MISSING.  249 

ergy.  In  his  haste  he  kept  the  former  land 
marks  in  view,  and  his  previous  experience 
had  given  him  a  certain  familiarity  with  the 
region  which  prevented  his  going  astray. 
Once  more  he  leaped  the  canyon,  without 
pausing  longer  than  to  glance  into  its  depths 
as  he  swung  over  it.  He  saw  nothing  of  the 
bulky  carcass  of  the  grizzly  bear  that  had 
fallen  a  victim  to  the  marksmanship  of  him 
self  and  friend,  and  just  as  night  was  shut 
ting  in  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  small 
plateau  where  the  ponies  were  contentedly 
grazing. 

In  one  respect  better  fortune  than  he  an 
ticipated  awaited  him.  Instead  of  being 
compelled  to  pass  the  intolerable  hours  in 
waiting  for  the  coming  of  the  guide,  he  saw 
he  had  already  reached  the  spot.  A  fire  was 
burning  at  the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  and  the 
sinewy  figure  of  the  veteran  was  observed  as 
he  moved  to  and  fro  before  it.  Detecting  the 
approach  of  Jack,  he  stood  erect  and  silently 
watched  him  as  he  drew  near. 

A  person  as  agitated  as  Jack  Dudley  finds 
it  hard  to  conceal  his  feelings.  Something  in 


250  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the  action  and  the  expression  of  his  white 
face  as  he  came  near  enough  to  be  seen  dis 
tinctly  gave  the  hunter  the  knowledge  that 
matters  had  gone  amiss  with  the  boy.  True 
to  his  word,  Hank  had  brought  no  food  back 
to  camp.  He  had  eaten  his  evening  meal 
before  going  thither,  leaving  his  young 
friends  to  provide  for  their  own  wants. 

"Where's  the  younker?"  was  his  question, 
before  Jack  halted. 

"  O  Hank !  I  do  not  know  what  has  hap 
pened;  I  fear  we  shall  never  see  Fred  again!" 

And,  unable  to  restrain  his  grief  that  had 
been  pent  up  so  long,  Jack  broke  down  and 
sobbed  like  a  child.  The  veteran  showed  a 
delicacy  that  would  hardly  have  been  ex 
pected  from  him.  He  knew  it  would  do  Jack 
good  to  yield  to  his  sorrow  for  a  brief  while, 
for  he  would  soon  become  cooler  and  more 
self-possessed.  Accordingly  the  hunter  re 
mained  silent  until  the  youth  mastered  his 
emotions,  when  he  laid  his  hand  tenderly  on 
his  shoulder  and  said : 

"  Now,  set  down  here  beside  me  and  let  me 
know  all  about  it." 


MISSING.  251 

Jack  appreciated  his  consideration,  and 
taking  the  seat  to  which  he  was  invited,  he 
told,  in  a  choking  voice,  the  story  of  the  in 
cident  beside  the  little  valley,  when  Fred 
Greenwood,  in  high  spirits,  walked  away  and 
vanished  as  if  the  earth  had  opened  and  swal 
lowed  him.  Jack  did  not  break  down  again, 
for  he  was  resolved  to  be  manly  arid  brave. 
He  would  not  think  of  his  young  friend  as 
wholly  lost,  nor  allow  himself  to  consider  the 
awful  possibility  of  returning  home  with  the 
message  that  Fred  would  never  be  seen  again. 
Jack  felt  it  was  time  for  action,  not  for 
lamentation. 

Hazletine  was  grave  and  thoughtful,  but 
the  youth  had  hardly  finished  his  narrative 
when  he  said : 

"You  haven't  told  me  all." 

"  I  do  not  think  of  anything  I  have 
omitted." 

"  Your  story  begins  with  the  first  sight  of 
the  antelope ;  what  happened  afore  that  ?" 

"  A  good  deal ;  I  did  not  think  you  would 
care  to  hear  it." 

"  I  want  every  word." 


252  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

So  it  was  that  Jack  began  with  their  de 
parture  in  the  morning  from  camp,  and 
made  clear  every  occurrence  down  to  the  start 
for  the  valley  where  the  great  misfortune 
overtook  them.  He  realized,  while  describing 
the  meeting  with  Motoza,  the  important  bear 
ing  that  it  had  upon  the  disappearance  of 
Fred  Greenwood. 

When  the  story  was  completed  the  guide 
emitted  a  low  whistle,  followed  by  an  exclama 
tion  of  so  vigorous  a  character  that  it  startled 
Jack.  Hank  sprang  excitedly  to  his  feet  and 
strode  back  and  forth  until  able  to  control  his 
feelings.  Then  with  a  voice  and  expression 
of  scornful  contempt,  he  asked : 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Motoza's  love  for 
you  and  Fred?" 

"  I  admit  that  you  were  right  and  we  were 
wrong  about  him;  I  feared  for  Fred,  not  for  my 
self,  and  you  see  he  has  not  tried  to  harm  me" 

"That  ain't  'cause  he  loves  you  like  the 
brother  he  calls  hisself,  but  'cause  he  hates 
Fred  more'n  he  does  you.  If  he  hadn't  had 
such  a  good  chance  to  grab  the  other  younker, 
he  would  have  grabbed  you." 


MISSING.  253 

"  Then  you  have  no  doubt  that  Motoza  is 
the  cause  of  it  all  ?" 

"  No  more  doubt  than  that  you're  a  setting 
on  that  stone  there." 

"  I  can't  understand  it;  Fred  is  not  the  one 
to  let  a  single  Indian  make  him  prisoner, 
when  one  is  as  well  armed  as  the  other." 

"  Who  said  there  was  only  one  of  the 
imps  ?" 

The  abrupt  question  meant  a  good  deal.  It 
had  already  been  proven  that  a  number  of 
other  Indians  were  in  the  vicinity;  but  Jack 
had  not  thought  of  associating  them  with  the 
vagrant  Sioux  in  his  hostility  to  the  young 
hunters,  although  there  was  scarcely  a  doubt 
that  Motoza  had  had  one  helper  or  more  in 
his  designs  against  Fred  Greenwood.  This 

O  O 

put  a  new  face  on  the  matter,  and  Hazletine 
discussed  the  question  more  freely. 

"  There  must  be  a  half-dozen  varmints  or 
so  in  the  mountains ;  they've  sneaked  off  the 
reservation  and  are  hunting  here  without  per 
mission  from  the  folks  that  have  'em  in 
charge.  It  ain't  likely  they  started  out  with 
any  other  idee  than  to  have  a  little  frolic  of 


254  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

their  own,  meaning  to  go  back  when  they  was 
through ;  but,  as  I  remarked  afore,  when  an 
Injin  sees  a  good  chance  to  raise  the  mischief 
with  just  as  good  a  chance  of  not  being  found 
out,  he's  pretty  sartin  to  do  it.  Wai,  things 
took  such  a  queer  shape  when  you  younkers 
and  Motoza  seen  each  other  that  all  the  ugli 
ness  in  him  has  come  out,  and  that's  what's 
urging  him  now." 

"  It  seems  to  me,  Hank,  that  if  he  meant  to 
punish  Fred  for  humiliating  him,  the  method 
was  simple." 
"How?" 

"  By  shooting  him  from  ambush  ;  he  could 
do  it  without  being  seen,  and  I  can  think  of 
no  way  by  which  the  guilt  could  be  brought 
home  to  him." 

"  You're  off  there.  Motoza  knows  that  you 
and  me  are  in  these  parts,  and  that  we're  the 
friends  of  the  younker ;  what  had  took  place 
afore,  with  what  I'd  swear  to,  would  hang 
Motoza,  and  he  knows  it." 

This  declaration  was  not  quite  clear  to  Jack, 
but  it  sounded  as  if  the  guide  was  willing  to 
so  modify  his  testimony  in  court  as  to  insure 


MISSING.  255 

the  conviction  of  the  Sioux  in  case  he  fol 
lowed  the  plan  named  by  the  youth. 

The  veteran  would  have  considered  it  right, 
under  the  circumstances,  to  do  such  a  thing. 

"  Since  the  fear  of  our  testimony  restrained 
him,  why  did  he  not  seek  to  remove  us  in  the 
same  manner,  when  he  has  had  more  than  one 
opportunity  ?" 

"  And  there  you're  off  again.  Motoza 
wouldn't  have  had  any  trouble  in  wiping  out 
two  young  tenderfeet  like  you,  but  he'd  likely 
run  agin  a  snag  when  he  tried  it  on  me  /" 

The  hunter  shut  his  lips  and  shook  his 
head  with  eloquent  earnestness. 

"  S'pose  he'd  done  such  a  thing,"  he  added, 
angrily  ;  "  don't  you  see  that  when  the  Gov 
ernment  larned,  as  it  would  be  sure  to  larn, 
that  three  persons  had  been  killed  near  the 
reservation  by  some  of  the  Injins,  there  would 
be  the  biggest  kind  of  excitement  ?  It  would 
put  its  best  officers  at  work,  and  never  let  up 
till  everything  was  brought  to  light.  You 
see  that,  Motoza  not  being  the  only  Injin  in 
these  parts  when  the  thing  was  done,  the  of 
ficers  would  have  some  of  the  other  varmints 


256  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

to  work  on,  and  they'd  got  the  whole  story 
from  'em,  which  would  mean  the  hanging  of 
the  Sioux." 

Jack  saw  the  force  of  his  friend's  words. 
Even  in  this  wild  region,  where  one  would 
naturally  suppose  he  was  beyond  reach  of  the 
law,  the  man  who  committed  a  grave  crime 
faced  a  serious  risk.  Certainly  there  was 
much  less  danger  in  "  removing  "  one  person 
than  three. 

"  As  it  is,  Motoza  has  placed  himself  in  a 
bad  position,  but  it  would  have  been  tenfold 
worse  had  he  shot  you  and  me." 

Hank  nodded  his  head,  but  qualified  his 
assent : 

"  He  could  have  picked  you  off,  but  not  me, 
and  he  knows  that  he  would  have  had  me  on 
his  trail  without  waiting  for  the  officers  to 
help." 

"  But  he  must  face  the  same  thing  as  it  is." 

"Don't  you  see  that  he  had  to  make  the 
ch'ice  atween  doing  nothing  at  all  or  tackling 
the  younker?  The  Sioux  is  such  an  imp  and 
is  so  crazy  for  revenge  that  he  made  up  his 
mind  to  chance  it  the  least  he  could,  and  he 


MISSING.  257 

went  for  the  tenderfoot  that  he  hates  the 
most." 

Jack  tremblingly  asked  the  question  that 
had  been  in  his  mind  for  some  minutes. 

"  Do  you  think  he  shot  Fred  ?" 

The  guide  slowly  turned  his  head  and 
looked  fixedly  at  the  youth  before  replying : 

"  Wouldn't  you've  heerd  his  gun  ?" 

The  question  sent  a  thrill  of  hope  through 
the  heart  of  Jack,  but  it  was  quickly  suc 
ceeded  by  the  dull  torture  that  was  there  be 
fore.  True,  he  would  have  heard  the  report 
of  a  rifle  if  fired  anywhere  near  him  during 
the  afternoon,  but  a  treacherous  Sioux  like 
Motoza  was  too  cunning  to  expose  himself  in 
that  manner,  and  would  have  resorted  to  a 
different  method. 

"  He  could  have  slain  poor  Fred  in  some 
other  way,  but  do  you  believe  he  has  done 
so?" 

"  Younker,"  replied  the  sympathetic  guide, 
"  I  ain't  the  one  to  trifle  with  your  feelings, 
fur  you  don't  feel  much  worse  than  me,  but  I 
own  up  that  I  don't  know  anything  more 
'bout  this  bus'ness  than  you.  I  mean  by 

17 


258  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

that,"  he  hastened  to  explain,  "  that  I  can't 
figger  out  in  my  mind  what  that  varmint  has 

OO  «/ 

done  till  I  pick  up  more  knowledge  than 
you've  been  able  to  give  me,  and  I  can't  do 
that  afore  to-morrow  morning." 

This  sounded  reasonable,  but  it  was  trying 
beyond  imagination,  for  it  indicated  that  the 
long  night  must  be  spent  in  idleness,  without 
the  raising  of  a  finger  to  help  the  one  who 
perhaps  was  in  the  most  imminent  need  of 
such  assistance.  There  was  no  help,  how 
ever,  for  it,  and  Jack  accepted  the  decision  of 
his  friend  without  a  murmur. 

The  two  sat  at  the  mouth  of  the  cavern, 
talking  in  low  tones,  until  the  night  was  well 
advanced,  when  Hank  said,  with  a  voice  that 
sounded  wonderfully  low  and  tender  for  him: 

"  Now  go  in  and  lay  down,  younker,  fur 
there'll  be  plenty  of  work  fur  you  to  do  to- 
morrer,  and  there's  no  saying  when  you'll  git 
the  chance  to  sleep  agin." 

"Call  me  when  it  is  my  turn  to  go  on 
guard." 

"  All  right ;  and  don't  show  yourself  till  I 
do  call  you." 


MISSING,  259 

Jack  walked  into  the  cavern,  first  pausing 
to  fling  some  wood  on  the  fire.  Mingled  with 
his  feeling  of  despair  was  a  dread  of  being 
alone  in  the  gloom.  He  did  not  believe  he 
would  sleep  a  wink  through  the  night,  for 
never  were  his  emotions  wrought  to  a  more 
keenly  torturing  point.  It  was  almost  impos 
sible  to  remain  still,  but  he  forced  himself  to 
lie  down,  with  his  heavy  blanket  gathered 
around  him. 

It  would  be  distressing  to  dwell  upon  the 
anguish  and  grief  of  the  youth,  as  he  lay 
wide  awake,  his  brain  alert  and  his  blood  at 
fever-heat.  At  times  it  all  seemed  so  like  a 
dream  that  he  turned  his  head  to  make  sure 
Fred  Greenwood,  his  loved  chum  and  com 
rade,  was  not  lying  at  his  side.  But  no,  it 
was  all  a  dreadful  reality,  and  he  groaned  in 
spirit. 

As  the  minutes  passed  he  appeared  to  grow 
more  wakeful,  until  he  was  in  as  full  posses 
sion  of  his  faculties  as  when  fleeing  from  the 
grizzly  bear.  And  it  was  while  lying  thus, 
wondering  what  the  hour  could  be,  that  he 
became  aware  that  Hank  Hazletine  was 


260  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

standing  at  the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  smouldering  fire.  The 
light  was  reflected  so  clearly  from  his  bearded 
face  that  it  was  seen  distinctly,  while  the  posi 
tion  of  Jack,  muffled  in  his  blanket,  threw  his 
own  countenance  in  shadow,  which  prevented 
the  guide  seeing  it  clearly. 

Something  prompted  Jack  to  lie  still  and 
feign  sleep,  while  he  kept  his  gaze  on  the 
man,  who  was  looking  fixedly  at  him.  Sud 
denly  Hank  pronounced  his  name  in  a  low 
voice,  repeating  the  call  in  a  louder  tone.  He 
wished  to  learn  whether  his  young  friend 
was  unconscious,  and,  since  Jack  made  no 
reply,  must  have  concluded  he  was  sleeping. 

The  guide  next  threw  more  wood  on  the 
blaze,  which  burned  up  so  brightly  that  the 
reflection  reached  far  out  on  the  grassy 
plateau.  Then,  with  a  single  glance  at  the 
prostrate  figure,  the  hunter  turned  away,  his 
footsteps  as  noiseless  as  if  he  were  stepping 
on  velvet. 

Jack  was  mystified  by  the  proceeding,  but, 
suspecting  its  meaning,  he  arose  from  his 
hard  couch  and  passed  outside.  The  moon 


MISSING.  261 

had  not  yet  risen,  but  the  bright  stars  were 
in  the  sky,  and  shining  with  the  brilliancy 
that  he  had  noticed  and  admired  on  the  pre 
vious  evening.  He  looked  around  for  Hazle- 
tine,  and,  not  seeing  him,  imitated  his  action 
by  pronouncing  his  name,  but,  as  he  sus 
pected,  he  was  not  within  hearing. 

"  He  has  gone  off  to  make  some  investiga 
tions  between  now  and  morning.  I  am  glad 
of  it,  for  he  may  learn  something  which  he 
desires  to  know,  and  which  he  would  never 
find  out  by  staying  here.  I  wish  I  could 
have  gone  with  him,  but  no  doubt  he  will  do 
better  alone." 

It  was  demonstrated,  therefore,  that  the 
guide  had  violated  the  very  rule  which  he  had 
impressed  more  than  once  upon  his  young 
friends,  for  he  had  left  Jack  Dudley  sound 
asleep,  as  he  believed,  without  any  one  stand 
ing  sentinel  over  him.  But  it  was  because 
the  circumstances  were  so  exceptional  and 
extraordinary  that  it  justified  such  suspension 
of  the  rules. 

Jack  did  not  hesitate  to  make  himself  as 
comfortable  as  the  situation  would  permit. 


262  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

He  folded  his  blanket  on  the  ground,  and  sat 
with  his  back  against  the  very  rock  where  he 
had  fallen  asleep  the  night  before. 

"  No  danger  of  my  doing  it  again,"  he  re 
flected;  "and  it  wouldn't  make  any  difference 
if  I  did,  since  Hank  believes  I  am  dreaming." 

Jack  supposed  he  threw  the  wood  on  the 
flame  to  keep  away  the  possible  danger  from 
wild  animals  that  might  be  prowling  in  the 
neighborhood;  though,  because  of  the  reasons 
named,  there  was  little  to  be  apprehended 
from  them.  The  youth  was  so  alive  to  the 
situation  that  he  heard  a  cough  from  one  of 
the  ponies  lying  on  the  ground  near  the  fur 
ther  side  of  the  plateau,  and  beyond  sight. 
Twice  the  watcher  fancied  he  detected  a 
shadowy  figure  stealing  here  and  there  in  the 
gloom,  and  he  grasped  his  rifle,  ready  for  in 
stant  use ;  but  it  must  have  been  a  mistake  on 
his  part,  for  nothing  materialized,  and,  curi 
ous  as  it  may  seem,  he  finally  sank  into  a 
fitful  slumber,  which  lasted  a  long  time  with 
out  interruption. 


TOZER.  263 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TOZEK. 

Tl/TE  AN  WHILE  Hank  Hazletine  was  busy. 
JA-JL  He  had  formed  several  theories  to  ac 
count  for  the  disappearance  of  the  youth,  of 
whom  he  had  grown  extremely  fond,  brief  as 
was  their  acquaintance,  but  the  data  upon 
which  he  based  these  theories  were  so  vague 
and  meagre  that  he  could  do  nothing  until 
more  definite  knowledge  was  obtained. 

When  first  talking  with  Jack  Dudley,  the 
hunter  expected  to  retain  his  place  near  the 
cavern  until  morning,  for  it  would  seem  that 
there  was  little  hope  of  doing  anything  until 
the  sun  shone,  but  reflection  convinced  him 
that  there  was  a  possibility  of  accomplishing 
something  during  the  long  interval  that  must 
intervene.  Still  it  is  not  probable  he  would 
have  made  the  attempt  had  not  something 
invited  it. 


264  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Standing  in  the  gloom  on  the  outside  of  the 
cavern,  he  saw  a  point  of  light  against  the 
side  of  the  nearest  mountain  peak,  less  than 
half  a  mile  distant.  It  could  not  be  a  star, 
for  his  familiarity  with  the  country  told  him 
the  background  must  prevent  an  orb  showing 
at  that  height  above  the  horizon.  It  came 
from  a  fire  burning  at  the  place,  and  that  fire 
had  been  kindled  by  Indians. 

Hank's  decision  was  to  visit  the  camp,  in 
the  hope  of  picking  up  some  information 
about  the  missing  boy.  It  has  been  shown 
that  he  was  so  convinced  that  no  danger 
threatened  Jack  Dudley  that  he  did  not  hesi 
tate  to  leave  him  alone,  believing  him  asleep. 
As  a  precaution,  however,  he  flung  additional 
fuel  on  the  fire,  with  a  view  of  keeping  away 
any  wild  animals  that  might  be  in  the  vicin 
ity.  Had  Jack  answered  to  his  name  when 
called  by  the  guide  he  would  have  been  in 
vited  to  accompany  him  for  a  portion  at  least 
of  the  way  on  the  reconnaissance,  as  it  might 
be  termed — a  most  welcome  relief.  Thus, 
trifling  as  was  the  deception,  it  operated  un 
favorably  for  our  young  friend. 


TOZEK. 


265 


The  progress  of  the  veteran  through  and 
over  the  rough  country  was  a  very  different 
proceeding  from  that  of  the  two  boys.  He 
seemed  never  to  hesitate  or  be  in  doubt  as  to 
the  shortest  and  easiest  course,  and  his  ad 
vance,  therefore,  was  much  the  same  as  if  he 
were  striding  across  the  grassy  plateau  near 
camp.  As  he  went  forward  his  shifting  posi 
tion  frequently  shut  out  the  beacon-light,  but 
he  made  no  mistake  at  any  point  in  his  walk. 
It  was  a  striking  proof  of  his  woodcraft  that 
when  he  reached  the  canyon  it  was  at  a  spot 
where  it  was  so  narrow  that  he  appeared 
merely  to  lengthen  his  step  when  he  placed 
himself  on  the  other  side.  Progressing  in 
this  manner,  it  did  not  take  him  long  to  reach 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  camp. 

The  blaze  had  been  kindled  among  a  clump 
of  cedars  which  were  a  continuation  of  a 
growth  that  extended  with  more  or  less  vigor 
for  miles  among  the  mountains,  gradually 
disappearing  as  the  snow-line  was  reached. 
Hazletine  recalled  the  particular  spot  so  clear 
ly  that  he  knew  precisely  what  to  do. 

It  was  not  very  late  in  the  evening,  else  there 


266  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

would  have  been  one  of  the  Indians  on  guard. 
As  it  was,  the  three  were  lolling  in  lazy  atti 
tudes,  smoking  their  long-stemmed  pipes  and 
talking  in  a  disjointed  fashion.  If  they  had 
eaten  anything  in  camp,  there  were  no  evi 
dences  of  it. 

Having  reached  a  point  from  which  he 
could  survey  the  party  without  being  ob 
served,  the  hunter  proceeded  to  do  so.  His 
first  feeling  was  of  disappointment,  for  Motoza 
was  not  one  of  the  three  bucks,  who  appeared 
to  be  in  middle  life,  and  were  dressed  and 
painted  similarly  to  that  individual.  In  fact, 
the  trio  were  the  ones  seen  by  the  youths 
earlier  in  the  day,  at  the  point  where  the 
break  in  the  canyon  occurred. 

Hazletine  had  set  out  with  the  belief  that 
the  vagrant  Sioux  was  the  one  chiefly  con 
cerned  in  the  disappearance  of  Fred  Green 
wood.  His  absence  from  camp  confirmed 
that  belief,  while  the  indifferent  manner  of 
the  three,  and  the  apparent  lack  of  subjects 
of  discussion  among  them,  indicated  that  they 
knew  nothing  of  the  abduction  or  death,  as  it 
might  be,  of  the  missing  one.  Had  they 


TOZER.  267 

known  of  it,  the  guide  was  confident  it  would 
have  been  betrayed  by  their  manner,  since  they 
could  have  no  suspicion  that  they  were  under 
surveillance  at  that  time,  and  therefore  would 
act  their  natural  selves. 

What  would  have  been  the  course  of  Hazle- 
tine  had  he  seen  Motoza,  not  doubting,  as  he 
did,  the  guilt  of  the  miscreant  ?  He  would 
have  walked  directly  forward  to  the  camp  and 
warned  the  Sioux  that  if  he  harmed  a  hair  of 
the  youth's  head  his  life  should  pay  therefor. 

Since  Motoza  was  not  in  the  situation  thus 
to  be  warned,  the  hunter  did  the  next  best 
thing.  With  no  attempt  to  veil  the  sound  of 
his  footsteps,  he  strode  into  the  circle  of  light 
thrown  out  by  the  Indian  camp-fire.  The 
bucks  looked  up  curiously  at  him,  but  be 
trayed  no  emotion  beyond  a  few  grunts.  They 
did  not  invite  him  to  be  seated  or  to  join  them 
in  smoking,  and  had  they  done  so,  neither  in 
vitation  would  have  been  accepted. 

Hank  knew  nothing  of  the  lingo  of  the  red 
men,  but  it  was  presumed  they  had  a  fair 
understanding  of  English,  taking  which  for 
granted,  he  proceeded  to  carry  out  his  self- 


268  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

imposed  mission.  He  told  the  bucks  they  had 
no  business  off  their  reservation,  although  it 
was  a  matter  of  indifference  to  him.  He  knew 
there  were  others  in  the  mountains,  and  Motoza 
was  among  them.  It  was  concerning  this 
scoundrel,  as  Hank  characterized  him,  that  he 
had  something  to  say.  A  white  youth,  while 
hunting  that  afternoon  not  far  off,  with  his 
companion,  had  disappeared.  Hazletine  had 
looked  into  the  matter  far  enough  to  discover 
that  he  had  been  stolen  by  Motoza.  The  white 
man  was  hunting  for  Motoza,  but  in  the  brief 
time  at  his  disposal  had  not  been  able  to  find 
him,  though  he  was  confident  of  doing  so  on 
the  morrow. 

Meanwhile,  the  white  man  wanted  these 
three,  or  any  one  of  them,  if  they  should  meet 
the  aforementioned  scoundrel,  to  repeat  what 
he  had  said  about  him.  If  any  harm  had  be 
fallen  the  missing  boy,  Hazletine  would  take 
it  upon  himself  to  hunt  down  Motoza  and 
"execute"  him  himself,  without  waiting  for 
the  United  States  authorities  to  do  it.  Such 
a  summary  course  would  save  expense  and 
make  the  white  man  feel  better. 


TOZEE.  269 

If  Motoza  should  return  the  stolen  boy 
within  twenty-four  hours,  and  it  was  found  he 
was  unharmed,  the  whole  matter  would  be 
treated  as  a  joke,  and  no  punishment  would 
be  visited  upon  Motoza,  provided  he  didn't  do 
it  again. 

This  was  the  substance  of  Hank  Hazletine's 
communication  to  the  three  bucks,  to  whom 
he  repeated  and  discussed  it  until  there  was 
no  fear  of  a  misunderstanding,  after  which 
the  visitor  strode  out  of  camp,  without  so 
much  as  bidding  the  trio  good-night.  His 
whole  manner  was  that  of  contempt,  for,  had 
it  been  otherwise,  he  would  not  have  dared  to 
turn  his  back  upon  them,  when  they  could 
have  shot  him  down  with  impunity. 

The  cowman  had  accomplished  something, 
though  less  than  he  hoped.  While  he  failed 
to  gain  definite  knowledge  of  the  missing 
youth,  he  had  brought  a  message  which  was 
certain  to  be  delivered  to  the  right  party  be 
fore  the  next  set  of  sun.  But  Hank  knew  the 
men  with  whom  he  was  dealing,  and  could  not 
feel  assured  that  any  ultimate  good  would  re 
sult  until  nearer  the  end. 


270  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"I  wish  I  knowed  whether  them  imps  know 
anything  about  that  younker ;  they  don't  act 
as  if  they  did,  and  yet  they  may  be  as  deep 
in  the  business  as  Motoza." 

The  last  remark  suggested  a  possibility 
which  the  cowman  shrank  from  considering. 
It  was  that  the  Sioux  was  wholly  innocent, 
and  that  all  the  mischief  had  been  done 
through  unsuspected  parties.  It  has  been 
shown  that  other  Indians,  not  yet  encountered, 
were  in  the  vicinity,  and  it  was  not  absolutely 
certain  that  they  were  not  the  criminals.  The 
thought,  however,  opened  the  illimitable  fields 
of  speculation,  and  the  hunter  was  wise  in  de 
termining  to  hold  to  his  original  belief  until 
assured  it  was  an  error. 

Before  he  was  half-way  back  to  camp  the 
moon  appeared  above  the  mountain  peak  be 
hind  him,  and  the  rugged  scenery  was  lit  up 
by  the  rays  that  streamed  on  every  side.  He 
paused  where  he  could  observe  the  gleam  of 
his  own  camp-fire  at  the  mouth  of  the  cavern, 
while,  by  turning  his  head,  he  saw  the  twinkle 
of  the  one  he  had  left  behind.  All  between 
lay  as  silent  as  the  tomb. 


TOZEE.  271 

"I  bluffed  it  pretty  heavy,"  he  reflected, 
"and  I  guess  it'll  work  with  them  bucks;  I 
ain't  so  sartin  of  Motoza,  fur  if  he  has  had 
anything  to  do  with  the  taking  off  of  that 
younker  he's  covered  up  his  tracks  pretty 
well  and  it'll  be  hard  work  to  run  him  down, 
but  Pit  do  it  r  he  savagely  exclaimed,  as  he 
resumed  his  strides  toward  his  own  camp. 

As  he  drew  near  he  caught  sight  of  the 
unconscious  figure  of  Jack  Dudley,  sitting 
with  his  back  against  the  rock.  The  moon 
revealed  him  clearly,  and  the  cowman  ap 
proached  him  with  noiseless  step. 

"  Poor  fellow  !  he  come  out  here  to  watch, 
thinking  he  couldn't  sleep,  and  now  he's  good 
for  nothing  till  sunup." 

Hank  leaned  over  and  tenderly  adjusted 
the  blanket  around  the  figure  of  the  hand 
some  youth,  as  his  mother  might  have  done 
had  she  been  present.  Then  passing  within 
the  cavern,  he  lay  down  and  slept  until  the 
night  was  ended. 

The  presence  of  the  lad  on  the  outside  of  the 
cavern  showed  that  he  knew  of  the  departure 
of  the  guide.  Hank,  therefore,  explained  his 


272  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

reason  for  leaving  him,  and  told  him  all  that 
had  occurred. 

"  The  first  thing  to  do,  younker,  is  to  find 
Motoza ;  that's  what  I'm  going  to  do.  You 
can't  stand  it  to  be  alone  with  yourself,  so  you 
can  come  with  me,  though  I  hain't  no  idee 
that  you'll  be  able  to  give  any  help." 

"  I  hope  I  shall;  though,  if  you  think  there 
is  more  chance  of  success  in  making  the  hunt 
alone,  I'll  do  the  same." 

Hank  was  silent  a  moment,  as  if  consider 
ing  the  matter,  but  he  quickly  added : 

"  Come  along.     But  how  about  breakfast?" 

"  I  haven't  the  least  appetite." 

"I  thought  so  by  your  looks,"  he  said, 
sympathizing^.  "  I'm  blamed  sorry  fur  you, 
and  hope  your  appetite  will  soon  come  back  to 

you." 

"It  will  as  soon  as  we  find  Fred,"  said 
Jack,  with  a  faint  smile ;  "  but  what  about 
yourself?" 

"  It's  all  the  same ;  if  we  had  meat  here  I'd 
cook  and  eat  it;  but  I'm  willing  to  go  a  day 
or  two,  if  I  haven't  the  time  to  take  any 
meals." 


TOZER.  273 

"That's  strange!"  broke  in  Jack;  "yonder 
comes  a  white  man ;  he  must  be  one  of  your 
acquaintances,  though  I  never  saw  him  be 
fore." 

Hazletine  turned  round  in  surprise.  A 
tall  white  man,  dressed  as  a  cowboy,  with  long 
dangling  yellow  hair  and  a  thin  mustache  and 
goatee,  and  with  rifle  slung  over  his  shoulder, 
had  appeared  on  the  further  side  of  the  pla 
teau,  and  was  approaching  the  couple  at  a  de 
liberate  pace. 

"  Wai,  I'm  hanged  !"  exclaimed  Hazletine ; 
"  if  there  isn't  Bill  Tozer !  He's  the  last  man 
I  expected  to  meet  in  these  parts." 

These  words  did  not  bring  Jack  Dudley 
much  enlightenment,  but  he  felt  no  special  curi 
osity  concerning  the  individual,  and  silently 
waited  till  he  came  up.  The  youth  judged 
from  the  manner  of  the  guide,  however,  that 
he  was  not  overly  pleased  with  the  new  ar 
rival,  whose  countenance  was  not  attractive. 
Nevertheless,  the  two  shook  hands  with  seem 
ing  cordiality,  and  the  new-comer  looked  in 
quiringly  at  Jack. 

"  This  is  a  friend  of  mine,  Bill,  that  I  took 

18 


274  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

out  on  a  hunt  t'other  day  with  another 
younker ;  Jack  Dudley,  Bill  Tozer." 

"  Glad  to  know  you,"  said  the  man  heart 
ily  ;  "  I  see  you're  a  tenderfoot." 

"Yes,"  replied  Jack;  "less  than  two  weeks 
ago  I  had  never  set  foot  in  Wyoming." 

"Wai,  now  that's  funny;  you'll  like  the 
country  after  you  get  used  to  it." 

"  Would  to  heaven  I  had  never  seen  it !" 
was  the  bitter  exclamation  of  the  youth, 
hardly  able  to  keep  back  his  tears. 

"  Sorry  to  hear  that,  my  young  friend ;  but 
cheer  up ;  it'll  come  out  all  right." 

It  struck  Jack  that  this  was  a  singular  re 
mark  for  the  man  to  make,  for  it  sounded  as 
if  he  knew  the  cause  of  Jack's  emotion  ;  but 
before  the  boy  could  seek  enlightenment  the 
man  made  a  more  extraordinary  remark : 

"  You'll  excuse  us  for  a  few  minutes,  my 
young  friend;  I've  some  words  to  say  in  pri 
vate  to  Hank." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Jack,  turning  on  his 
heel  and  walking  beyond  earshot.  He  gave 
the  men  no  further  attention,  for  he  did  not 
suspect  the  new-comer  had  anything  to  impart 


TOZEE.  275 

of  interest  to  him.  The  boy  felt  more  like 
resenting  this  interference  with  the  moment 
ous  business  he  and  the  guide  had  on  hand. 

But  Jack  was  mistaken.  Hardly  was  he  a 
hundred  feet  from  the  couple  when  Hazletine 
asked  : 

"  What's  up,  Bill  ?" 

"  One  of  them  young  tenderfeet  is  missing, 
eh?" 

"  How  did  you  find  that  out  ?" 

"I  reached  the  camp  of  Bok-kar-oo  last 
night  within  a  half-hour  after  you'd  gone;  he 
and  two  other  bucks  are  out  on  a  hunt,  which 
they  haven't  any  business  to  be,  but  that's 
nothing  to  us.  Bok-kar-oo  told  me  what 
you  had  told  him;  it's  queer  business,  isn't 
it?" 

"I  should  say  it  was.  That  Motoza  has  had 
a  hand  in  it,  and  I've  set  out  to  find  him  and 
settle  the  account." 

"  Why  are  you  so  sure  about  Motoza  ?" 

"'Cause  I  know  him!"  said  Hank,  sav 
agely;  "and  I've  knowed  him  fur  a  good  many 
years;  there  isn't  a  worse  Injin  in  Wyo 
ming." 


276  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Instead  of  commenting  on  this  remark, 
Tozer  stood  silent  a  moment,  and  then  made 
a  flirt  with  his  head  as  a  request  for  Hank  to 
step  aside  with  him.  The  cowman  obeyed, 
and  they  seated  themselves  still  further  from 
Jack  Dudley. 

"What  makes  you  so  afeard  he'll  hear  us?" 
asked  Hazletine,  impatiently,  noting  the  sus 
picious  glances  which  the  man  cast  in  the  di 
rection  of  the  youth. 

"  For  the  reason  that  I  don't  want  him  to 
hear  us;  I've  something  to  say  about  him  and 
his  friend." 

"His     father     owns     half    of    Bowman's 

ranch." 

Bill  Tozer  started  with  an  angry  exclama 
tion. 

"  Is  that  so  ?"  he  asked  in  amazement.  "  I 
thought  it  was  the  other  fellow's  father." 

"  How  should  you  know  anything  about  it 
anyway?"  demanded  Hazletine,  who  made  no 
attempt  to  conceal  his  dislike  of  the  man. 
"  I'd  like  to  know  where  you  picked  up  so 
much  knowledge  'bout  these  two  younkers." 

"  There's  no  need  of  getting  huffy  about  it, 


TOZER. 


277 


Hank ;  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  was  to  be  on 
your  heels  for  the  last  few  days,  for  I  stopped 
at  the  ranch  and  had  a  talk  with  the  fellows 
only  a  short  time  after  you  left  with  the  ten- 
derfeet  for  this  hunt.  I  understood  Kansas 
Jim  to  say  that  it  was  the  father  of  the  Green 
wood  boy  that  owned  half  the  ranch." 

"  If  Jim  told  you  that,  which  I  don't  be 
lieve  he  done,  he  told  you  what  ain't  so." 

"  But  the  father  of  the  other  boy— the  one 
that's  missing — he's  rich  too,  ain't  he  ?" 

"I  don't  know  nothing  'bout  it;  what  are 
you  driving  at?  Bill,  you  know  that  my 
'pinion  of  you  is  'bout  the  same  as  it  is  of  that 
tramp  Motoza,  so,  if  you've  got  anything  to 
say  to  me,  out  with  it !  I  hain't  any  time  to 
fool  away." 

"  I  have  something  to  say,  Hank,  and  it's 
about  them  young  tenderfeet :  I've  seen  Mo 


toza." 


"When?" 
"  This  morning." 

"  Did  you  give  him  my  message  ?" 
"  Every  word  of  it,  as  I  received  it  from 
Bok-kar-oo ;  I  made  it  as  strong  as  I  could." 


278  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"You  couldn't  make  it  any  too  strong;  how 
did  he  take  it  ?" 

"  It  didn't  seem  to  worry  him  much ;  he 
says  he  don't  know  anything  about  the  miss 
ing  boy  and  your  threats  don't  scare  him. 
But,  Hank,"  added  Tozer,  lowering  his  voice 
almost  to  a  whisper  and  glancing  furtively 
around,  "  I  suspect  Motoza  was  lying." 

"  I  know  he  was,  fur  he  doesn't  know  how 
to  tell  the  truth." 

"  If  he's  treated  right,  I  believe  he'll  pro 
duce  the  missing  youngster." 

Hank  Hazletine  was  keener  mentally  than 
most  of  his  friends  suspected.  He  had  more 
acumen  than  even  Bill  Tozer  suspected.  A 
great  light  flashed  upon  the  cowman,  and  the 
questions  and  answers  which  fell  from  his  lips 
during  the  next  few  minutes  were  intended  to 
hide  his  real  purpose. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  treating  Motoza 
right  ?  If  he  was  treated  right  he'd  be  kick 
ing  the  air  this  very  minute." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  said  Tozer,  laughing ; 
"  but  Motoza  doesn't,  and  he's  the  one  who 
asks  to  be  treated  right,  as  he  considers  it." 


TOZER. 


279 


"  I've  said  that  if  he  produces  the  younker, 
and  we  find  he  hain't  been  harmed,  why^  we'll 
call  it  a  joke  and  drop  the  whole  thing." 

Tozer  gazed  at  a  distant  mountain  peak  and 
thoughtfully  chewed  tobacco  for  a  minute.  He 
was  approaching  delicate  ground  and  needed 
all  his  finesse. 

"  That's  fair  on  your  part,  and  is  more  than 
he  ought  to  expect,  but  I've  a  suspicion  it 
isn't  what  he  means." 

"  Do  you  know  what  he  means,  Bill  ?" 

"No;  he  hasn't  told  me  a  word,  but  I  think 
I  can  guess  it." 

"Wai,  then,  guess." 

"  Eemember  it's  only  a  guess,  and  I  may  be 

away  off." 

Hazletine  nodded  his  head. 

"  I'm  listening." 

"I  suspect  Motoza  has  the  tenderfoot  in 
hiding  somewhere,  where  there's  no  chance  of 
his  getting  away  or  of  any  of  his  friends  find 
ing  him." 

"What  does   the   scamp   mean   by  doing 

that?" 

"  He  must  have  had  an  idea  that  the  father 


280  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

of  the  Greenwood  boy  has  enough  money  to 
pay  a  good  sum  to  recover  him  unharmed." 

"  That's  a  new  scheme  !  I've  heard  of  such 
things  in  the  East,  but  never  knowed  'em  to 
be  tried  in  this  part  of  the  country.'' 

"  Bear  in  mind,"  Tozer  hastened  to  add, 
"  that  it's  all  guesswork  on  my  part." 

"  You've  said  that  afore,  but  it's  powerful 
good  guessing,  Bill.  It's  my  'pinion  you  ain't 
a  thousand  miles  from  the  truth,  but  you  can 
see  this  makes  a  mighty  different  thing  of  the 
bus'ness." 

"How  so?" 

"  The  younker's  father  lives  in  New  York; 
he's  got  to  be  reached,  and  the  question  laid 
afore  him.  How  much  money  will  Motoza 
ask  to  produce  the  younker?" 

"  Certainly  not  much — something  like  five 
thousand  dollars,  I  should  say." 

"  That  is  rather  a  healthy  pile  for  you  or 
me,  but  I  don't  'spose  it's  more  than  a  trifle 
for  them  folks  in  the  East." 

"Of  course  not;  they'll  raise  it  at  once,  and 
be  glad  to  do  so." 

"  But  it'll  take  two  weeks  at  least." 


TOZER.  281 

"  Not  necessarily  ;  you  can  telegraph  from 
Fort  Steele,  and  two  or  three  days  ought  to 
wind  up  the  whole  business." 

"  But  you  can't  telegraph  the  money." 

"  Yes,  you  can  ;  nothing  is  easier." 

Hazletine  was  silent  a  minute  or  two. 

"  It  sounds  easy  'nough,  the  way  you  put 
it,  but  it  won't  be  so  powerful  easy  after  all. 
I  s'pose  the  Sioux  will  want  the  money  afore 
he  turns  over  the  younker  ?" 

"  Of  course  ;  that's  business." 

"How  can  we  know  he'll  give  up  the 
younker  after  he  gits  the  money  ?" 

"  In  a  matter  of  this  kind,  a  point  must  be 
reached  where  one  party  has  to  trust  the  other, 
and  Motoza  wouldn't  dare  play  you  false." 

"He  wouldn't,  eh?  Just  give  him  the 
chance." 

"  Then  we  won't  let  him.  I'll  guarantee 
that  he  shall  keep  his  part  of  the  agreement 
in  spirit  and  letter." 

It  was  on  Hazletine's  tongue  to  ask  who 
should  guarantee  the  honesty  of  Bill  Tozer, 
but  for  reasons  of  his  own  he  kept  back  the 
question. 


282  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Wai,  now,  to  git  down  to  business,  as  you 
say ;  s'pose  Doctor  Greenwood  sends  word 
that  he  won't  or  can't  raise  the  money  you 
ask— what  then  ?" 

Tozer  shrugged  his  shoulders  suggestively. 

"  Don't  forget  that  I  am  guessing  all  the 
way  through.  I  should  say,  however,  that 
Doctor  Greenwood  would  never  see  his  boy 
again." 

"I'm  afraid  he  never  will,  as  the  matter 
now  stands." 

"  That  depends  on  the  parent.  If  he  is  not 
rich,  the  father  of  that  young  man  over  yon 
der  is,  and  he  would  let  him  have  the 
money." 

"  No  doubt  he'd  do  that  very  thing ;  but 
s'pose  the  thing  is  all  fixed  and  carried  out 
as  you've  been  saying  —  does  Motoza  fancy 
there  won't  be  some  accounts  to  be  squared 
with  him  afterwards  ?" 

"  You  know  what  a  cunning  fellow  he  is. 
He  wouldn't  go  through  with  the  job  until 
he  was  guaranteed  against  any  punishment 
for  his  part  in  it." 

"The  father  of  the  younker  would  give 


TOZER.  283 

the  pledge,  and  he'd  keep  it,  too,  if  he's  any 
thing  like  his  son.  But  what  'bout  Hank 
Hazletine?" 

"  He  would  have  to  make  the  same  promise 
— that  is,  I  presume  he  would.  It  might  be, 
however,  that  Motoza  would  feel  able  to  take 
care  of  himself,  so  far  as  you  are  concerned. 
But  we  are  talking  blindly." 

"  Is  there  any  other  way  to  talk  ?" 

"  You  say  you  were  just  about  starting  out 
to  hunt  up  Motoza.  You  won't  be  able  to 
find  him,  for  he'll  keep  out  of  your  sight. 
Leave  that  part  of  the  business  to  me." 

"What'll  you  do?" 

"  I'll  explain  the  situation  to  him,  and  then 
come  back  and  have  another  talk  with  you." 

"  All  right ;  you  can't  do  it  any  too  soon." 


284  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

WATCHING   AND    WATCHED. 

BILL  TOZEE  rose  to  his  feet.  The  in 
terview  was  over,  and  little  remained  to 
be  said  between  the  two. 

"  Then,  Hank,  you'll  leave  matters  with 
me  till  I  see  you  again  ?" 

"  When  will  that  be  ?" 

The  man  stood  a  moment  in  thought. 

"  In  order  that  there  shall  be  no  mistake, 
let  us  agree  that  I  shall  call  here  to-morrow 
morning — twenty-four  hours  from  now.  How 
does  that  strike  you  ?" 

"That  will  do." 

"  I  can  make  it  less  time  than  that,  if  you 
wish  it." 

"  That  suits ;  it's  a  go ;  good-by." 

"  Good-by,"  and  the  visitor  turned  on  his 
heel  and  strode  across  the  plateau,  disappear 
ing  on  the  further  margin,  where  he  had  first 
shown  himself. 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.  285 

Hank  Hazletine  stood  looking  after  him  as 
long  as  he  was  in  sight.  When  at  last  he 
vanished,  an  expression  of  scornful  contempt 
darkened  the  bearded  face  of  the  cowman, 
and  he  muttered : 

"  Bill  Tozer,  you  think  you're  smart,  but  / 
understand  you  /" 

In  the  interview  which  has  just  been  re 
corded  the  visitor  believed  he  had  outwitted 
the  guide  at  every  step,  and  yet  exactly  the 
reverse  was  the  fact.  Hank  Hazletine  had 
pretended  a  stupidity  which  was  not  real. 
He  noted  the  contradictions  in  the  declara 
tions  of  Tozer  the  instant  they  were  made, 
but  gave  no  evidence  of  it,  his  object  being  to 
draw  out  the  miscreant,  in  which  purpose  he 
succeeded  perfectly. 

The  whole  truth  was  manifest  to  the  guide. 
Fred  Greenwood  had  been  abducted  not  by 
Motoza  alone,  but  by  him  and  Bill  Tozer. 
Beyond  a  doubt  the  daring  scheme  was  the 
invention  of  the  white  man,  who  found  a 
willing  partner  in  the  vagrant  Sioux,  who 
burned  with  enmity  toward  the  youth.  It 
was  Tozer  who  made  the  mistake  of  supposing 


286  TWO  BOYS  IN"  WYOMING. 

that  the  father  of  Fred  was  half-owner  of  the 
ranch,  and,  therefore,  presumably  a  rich  man. 
Tozer  had  formed  the  plan  of  the  abduction 
while  at  Bowman's  ranch,  and  showed  by  his 
promptness  that  he  had  not  allowed  the  grass 
to  grow  under  his  feet. 

These  meditations  occupied  but  a  few  min 
utes,  when  the  cowman  walked  toward  Jack, 
who,  seeing  him  approaching,  advanced  to 
meet  him.  Hazletine  felt  that  the  change  of 
conditions  made  it  necessary  to  talk  more 
freely  than  heretofore  with  the  boy. 

"Hank,  it  seems  to  me  we  are  throwing 
away  time,"  said  the  youth,  a  trifle  impa 
tiently. 

"  I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,  younker.  I've 
news  fur  you." 

The  guide  had  a  good  memory,  and  he  re 
peated,  almost  word  for  word,  all  that  had 
been  said  by  Tozer  and  himself.  Jack  was 
astounded.  His  first  emotion  was  of  profound 
gratitude  and  delight,  for  the  interview 
seemed  to  establish  that  Fred  Greenwood  was 
alive,  and  consequently  within  reach  of  re 
covery. 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.         287 

"He's  not  dead!"  exclaimed  the  happy 
lad;  "thank  Heaven  for  that!  I  shall  soon 
see  him  !  It  seems  too  good  to  be  true." 

"  It  isn't  best  to  be  sartin  of  anything  in 
this  world,"  remarked  his  friend,  with  a 
gravity  of  expression  that  ought  to  have 
chilled  the  ardor  of  Jack,  but  it  did  not.  The 
tidings  were  too  exhilarating  for  that. 

"Now,  younker,"  added  the  man,  " we've 
got  more  time  on  our  hands  than  we  know 
what  to  do  with.  Come  over  by  the  fire  and 
set  down  fur  a  while.  How's  that  appetite 
of  yours  ?" 

"  I  am  beginning  to  feel  hungry." 

"  I  thought  so,"  observed  Hank,  with  a 
smile. 

"  But  there's  no  hurry.  I  can  wait  a  little 
while." 

"  You'll  have  to." 

"  Now  tell  me  who  this  man  Tozer  is  ?" 

"Wai,  -he's  a  reg'lar  Motoza,  except  in 
blood.  I  run  across  him  five  years  ago  in 
Arizona,  where  he  had  been  in  the  stage-rob- 
biu'  bus' ness.  Things  got  so  hot  he  had  to 
git  out.  I  didn't  hear  anything  more  of  him 


288  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

till  I  was  driving  cattle  in  Montana,  when  I 
discovered  lie  was  one  of  the  worst  rustlers 
in  that  part  of  the  world.  I'm  sartin  he  has 
done  a  good  many  things  fur  which  he  ought 
to  hang,  but  he's  more  cunning  in  his  way 
than  the  Sioux,  and  has  kept  out  of  the  peni 
tentiary  when  anyone  else  would  have  been 
doing  a  life-term.  Bill  is  a  great  gambler, 
and  has  made  and  lost  fortunes,  but  he  is  al 
ways  out  of  money  and  figgering  how  to  git 
it  ag'in.  There  isn't  anything  too  mean  fur 
him  to  do  fur  money.  He  doesn't  care  any 
more  fur  the  feelings  of  others  than  Geron- 


imo." 


"  It  looks  as  if  the  plan  of  abducting  Fred 
and  holding  him  for  ransom  is  his." 

"There  ain't  no  doubt  of  it;  he  come  to  the 
ranch  soon  after  we'd  gone  and  lamed  all 
'bout  you  tenderfeet  from  the  boys  themselves. 
The  thought  come  to  him  at  once  that  one  of 
the  chances  of  his  lifetime  was  his.  It's  queer 
he  made  the  mistake  of  believing  that  it  was 
the  father  of  the  other  younker  as  owned  part 
of  the  ranch,  but  he  got  matters  twisted  in 
some  way.  You  can  see  that  if  it  hadn't  been 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.  289 

fur  that  blunder  of  his,  it  would  be  you  that 
your  friend  and  me  would  be  looking  fur." 

"  I  wish  it  were,"  was  the  honest  exclama 
tion  of  Jack  Dudley ;  "but  how  was  it  he  came 
to  form  his  partnership  with  Motoza?" 

"  You've  heard  it  said  the  devil  takes  care 
of  his  own ;  Bill  and  Motoza  are  old  friends 
and  have  been  in  more  than  one  shady  job.  I 
can't  know,  but  I  think  Bill  must  have 
larned  or  suspicioned  that  the  Sioux  warn't 
fur  off  and  he  set  out  to  hunt  him  up.  Any 
way  thev  managed  to  come  together,  and  the 
job  was  fixed  up  atween  'em.  Howsumever," 
said  the  guide,  "  there  ain't  no  use  of  talking 
and  guessing  over  what  has  been,  but  we  must 
face  what  is.  Now,  if  Doctor  Greenwood  has 
word  by  telegraph  that  he  must  pay  five 
thousand  dollars  to  git  his  younker  back  agin, 
what'll  he  think  ?" 

"  He  will  think  that  this  has  been  a  pretty 
expensive  outing  for  Fred,"  replied  Jack, 
whose  buoyancy  of  spirits  prompted  his  trivial 
answer. 

"  Will  he  pay  the  money  ?" 

"Yes,  and  twice  as  much  more,  if  it  is 

19 


290  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

necessary;  but  won't  lie  be  startled  and  puz 
zled  to  know  the  meaning  of  it  all !  He  will 
come  right  out  here  himself  and  bring  some 
of  the  best  detectives  in  the  country." 

"  And  if  he  does  that,  he'll  never  see  his 
boy  alive." 

Jack  looked  at  Hazletine  in  alarm  and 
amazement.  The  cowman  saw  phases  of  this 
extraordinary  business  that  had  not  presented 
themselves  to  the  youth,  and  he  now  pro 
ceeded  to  impress  them  upon  him.  In  the 
first  place,  the  cunning  Tozer  would  make 
sure  of  protecting  himself  and  Motoza,  though 
the  last  was  purely  a  matter  of  policy  and 
self  interest,  since  he  was  always  ready  to 
sacrifice  a  comrade.  In  arranging  the  ransom 
or  exchange,  Tozer  would  take  no  chances. 
The  friends  of  Fred  Greenwood  would  have 
to  remain  out  of  sight  and  in  the  background. 
It  would  be  impossible  for  any  of  them  to  try 
to  checkmate  him  without  his  quickly  learn 
ing  it,  whereupon  he  would  abandon  the  job 
and  turn  over  the  boy  to  the  savage  will  of 
the  Sioux. 

"  And  you  know  what  that  means,"  added 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.  291 

the  cowman,  impressively.  "I  should  tell  you 
something  else,  too.  It's  my  belief  that  if  the 
money  is  give  to  Tozer,  and  the  Sioux  is 
ordered  to  surrender  the  yotinker,  he  hates 
him  that  bad  that  he'll  try  to  bring  about  his 
death  and  run  the  chances  of  hanging  for  it. 
Where  two  such  wretches  as  him  and  Tozer 
are  in  a  job  there's  bound  to  be  crooked  work, 
and  I  won't  never  believe  you're  going  to  shake 
the  hand  of  t'other  younker  till  I  see  it  done 
with  my  own  eyes." 

The  emphasis  of  this  declaration  sent  a 
thrill  of  alarm  through  the  frame  of  Jack 
Dudley,  though  it  could  not  wholly  destroy 
the  exhilaration  caused  by  the  knowledge  that 
Fred  Greenwood  was  alive. 

It  was  proof  of  the  kindliness  of  Hank 
Hazletine  that  he  made  no  mention  of  a  strong 
suspicion  that  had  been  in  his  mind  from  the 
first.  This  was  that  when  Tozer  met  Motoza 
he  learned  that  the  Sioux  had  already  slain 
his  prisoner,  for  Hank  knew  of  the  furious 
hate  the  fellow  held  toward  the  youth.  Con 
sequently,  Tozer  had  arranged  to  carry  out  his 
original  scheme,  and  was  now  seeking  to  gain 


292  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

a  large  sum  of  money,  knowing  that  it  was 
out  of  his  power  ever  to  fulfill  his  part  of  the 
bargain. 

Hazletine,  we  repeat,  strongly  believed  that 
this  ghastly  phase  of  the  business  was  true, 
but,  inasmuch  as  there  was  no  certainty  of  it, 
he  was  too  considerate  to  bring  additional 
grief  to  the  heart  of  Jack  Dudley. 

But  the  cowman  had  formed  a  resolution 
which  he  carefully  held  back  from  his  com 
panion.  An  interval  of  twenty-four  hours 
must  pass  before  the  second  interview  with 
Tozer,  during  which,  as  the  latter  was  given 
to  understand,  the  negotiation  would  be  left 
wholly  with  him.  Hank  and  Jack  were  to 
remain  quiescent,  at  least  until  after  the  next 
meeting.  But  the  cowman  nursed  a  very  dif 
ferent  determination.  He  intended  to  employ 
all  the  time  and  the  utmost  ability  he  pos 
sessed  in  defeating  the  atrocious  plot  of  the 
miscreants.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  easiest 
plan  for  him  was  quietly  to  help  forward  the 
negotiations,  but  his  nature  forbade  such  meek 
submissiveness  on  his  part. 

This  course,  however,  was  perilous  to  the 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.  293 

missing  boy ;  for,  if  Tozer  or  Motoza  saw 
himself  in  danger  of  losing  the  prize,  he  would 
make  short  work  of  the  prisoner.  It  was  clear 
that  all  the  skill  and  woodcraft  of  which  the 
cowman  was  master  would  be  needed  in  the 
delicate  task  he  had  assigned  to  himself. 

"  Younker,"  he  said,  when  the  conversation 
had  continued  a  while  longer,  "  after  think 
ing  over  this  business,  I've  made  up  my  mind 
it's  better  we  should  keep  apart  fur  the  day." 

"Follow  your  own  judgment.  I  shall  try 
to  be  back  this  evening." 

"  To-morrer  morning  will  be  time  'nough. 
I  had  my  supper  last  night  not  fur  from  here, 
and  if  the  wild  animals  haven't  visited  the 
spot  since,  we  shall  find  'nough  to  make  a 
square  meal." 

This  was  acceptable  news,  and  the  result  all 
that  could  be  desired.  Hank  had  cooked  a 
considerable  quantity  of  venison  at  a  roman 
tic  place  among  the  rocks,  his  first  intention 
being  to  carry  enough  of  it  to  headquarters 
to  supply  his  young  friends  with  what  they 
needed.  Afterward  he  changed  his  mind 
and  decided  that  it  was  time  they  learned  to 


294  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

provide  for  themselves.  Upon  making  his 
way  to  the  spot  he  found  everything  as  it  had 
been  left  the  previous  evening,  and  thus  much 
more  readily  than  Jack  had  dared  to  expect 
he  secured  the  needed  food. 

"  Right  here  we  part,"  said  Hank  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  meal. 

"  How  am  I  to  spend  the  time  ?" 

"As  your  fancy  strikes  you.  As  I  told 
you,  it  will  be  soon  'nough  fur  you  to  git 
back  to  camp  to-morrer  morning,  but  you 
must  keep  your  eyes  open.  It  may  be  that 
Tozer,  having  larned  that  your  father  is  the 
man  he  meant  to  bleed,  will  try  to  make  a 
prisoner  of  you." 

Jack  Dudley's  eyes  flashed. 

"  Let  him  try  it !  I  should  like  to  be  in 
Fred's  company." 

"  Mebbe  you  wouldn't  be  so  well  suited  as 
you  think,  but  look  out  fur  snares  in  your 
path — that's  all  I've  got  to  say.  I'm  off." 

It  was  characteristic  of  the  cowman  to  take 
his  departure  in  this  abrupt  manner,  his  in 
tention  being  to  undertake  without  delay  the 
difficult  task  he  had  set  out  for  himself,  but 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.  295 

five  minutes  later  he  gave  over  liis  purpose, 
and,  to  the  surprise  of  Jack  Dudley,  came 
back  to  him. 

In  doing  this,  Hazletine  was  wise.  His 
purpose,  as  already  intimated,  was  to  discover 
if  possible  Motoza  and  Tozer,  but  especially 
the  former.  There  was  little  doubt  that  the 
Sioux  would  communicate  with  his  prisoner 
during  the  day,  or,  if  Fred  Greenwood  was 
not  among  the  living,  his  unrelenting  enemy 
was  likely  to  give  some  evidence  of  where  his 
taking  off  had  occurred.  Hazletine's  belief, 
therefore,  was  that  by  shadowing  the  Sioux 
he  had  a  good  chance  of  securing  the  infor 
mation  that  would  overturn  all  the  calcula 
tions  of  the  abductors. 

But  this  task  was  tenfold  more  delicate  than 
would  seem  at  first,  for  not  only  had  the  cow 
man  to  learn  the  whereabouts  of  the  Sioux,  but 
he  must  do  it  undetected  and  dog  the  fellow 
without  discovery  on  his  part.  When  it  is 
remembered  that  Motoza  would  be  on  the 
alert  against  this,  one  is  almost  ready  to  de 
clare  the  cowman  had  attempted  an  impos 
sible  thing. 


296  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

When  he  left  his  young  friend,  however, 
it  was  with  the  firm  purpose  of  doing,  or 
rather  trying  to  push  through  this  purpose. 
Within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  point  where 
he  left  Jack  the  guide  had  a  glimpse  of  what 
may  be  called  the  shadow  of  a  movement. 
Something  flickered  among  the  rocks  a  short 
distance  ahead  and  then  vanished  before  he 
could  identify  it. 

But  he  knew  what  it  meant.  Some  one  was 
watching  him.  If  the  watcher  was  not  Mo- 
toza  or  Tozer,  he  was  an  ally  of  theirs.  He 
was  holding  the  cowman  under  surveillance, 
ready  to  report  or  shoot  on  the  first  proof  of 
his  real  purpose.  The  truth  flashed  upon 
Hank,  and  pausing  in  his  walk,  without  any 
evidence  of  what  he  had  discovered,  he  began 
a  hasty  examination  of  his  pockets  after  the 
manner  of  a  man  who  suddenly  misses  some 
prized  article  that  he  believed  to  be  in  his 
garments. 

The  little  farce  was  cleverly  acted.  Each 
receptacle  was  examined  several  times,  some 
of  the  pockets  being  turned  wrong  side  out, 
while  the  face  of  the  cowman,  or  rather  his 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.  297 

eyes,  betrayed  his  excitement.  Then  he 
looked  at  the  ground  in  front  and  at  the 
rear,  apparently  to  learn  whether  he  had 
dropped  the  missing  treasure.  Failing  to 
find  it,  he  uttered  an  angry  exclamation  arid 
walked  hurriedly  back  to  his  companion.  No 
one  observing  the  performance  would  have 
doubted  its  meaning. 

"I'm  going  to  stay  a  while  with  you,"  he 
remarked,  seating  himself  upon  the  ground 
and  lighting  his  pipe. 

"  It  was  a  sudden  change  of  mind,"  replied 
Jack,  glad  to  have  his  company. 

"Yes;  a  redskin  helped  me  to  make  it," 
and  he  explained  the  nature  of  his  discovery. 
Inasmuch  as  the  guide  had  turned  back  be 
cause  of  the  same,  it  was  easy  to  understand 
what  his  original  intention  was;  for  had  it 
not  existed,  why  should  the  cowman  care  if 
he  was  kept  under  surveillance  ?  He  would 
not  be  betraying  himself  any  more  during  an 
innocent  walk  and  hunt  through  the  moun 
tains  than  by  sitting  on  the  ground  and 
smoking  his  pipe. 

The  result  to  a  certain  extent  was  a  disap- 


298  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

pointment  to  Jack  himself,  for  lie  had  quietly 
resolved  upon  a  venture  in  the  same  line. 
Of  necessity  he  would  be  governed  almost 
entirely  by  guesswork,  but  it  was  his  deter 
mination  to  spend  the  day,  and  if  possible  the 
night,  in  trying  to  gather  some  trace  of  his 
missing  friend.  And  while  it  must  be  said 
that  his  prospect  of  success  was  exceedingly 
meagre,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  he 
would  possess  one  great  advantage  over  the 
veteran  while  similarly  engaged  —  neither 
Tozer  nor  Motoza  would  fear  anything  from 
what  he  did,  and  would  give  him  no  atten 
tion.  He  therefore  would  be  left  compara 
tively  free  to  do  what  he  chose.  Despite  the 
warnings  of  Hank,  Jack  was  confident  noth 
ing  was  to  be  feared  from  the  enmity  of  the 
two  miscreants  while  the  negotiations  were  in 
progress.  They  were  not  the  men  to  destroy 
the  hen  that  was  expected  to  lay  the  golden 

egg- 

For  hours    Hazletine    and  Jack  lolled  in 

this  primitive  camp,  the  cowman  smoking  his 
pipe  most  of  the  time,  while  the  two  discussed 
over  and  over  again  the  various  phases  of 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.        299 

the  momentous  business  that  engaged  their 
thoughts  and  to  which  they  yearned  to  de 
vote  their  utmost  energies.  The  guide  longed 
to  be  off,  and  as  the  sun  descended  the  heavens 
it  was  one  of  the  hardest  tasks  of  his  life  to 
restrain  his  impatience,  but  he  had  been 
trained  in  a  school  where  patience  is  one  of 
the  greatest  of  all  the  virtues.  Suddenly  he 
rose  to  his  feet,  stretched  his  arms  and 
yawned. 

"I'd  like  to  borrer  that  spy-glass  of  yours 
fur  a  few  minutes/' 

"  You  are  welcome,"  replied  Jack,  slipping 
the  string  over  his  head  and  passing  the  in 
strument  to  him.  The  cowman  sauntered  off, 
taking  the  same  direction  as  before.  His  first 
wish  was  to  learn  whether  he  was  still  under 
surveillance.  So  far  as  he  could  determine 
the  watcher  had  grown  weary  and  withdrawn, 
though  there  could  be  no  certainty  that  he 
was  not  in  the  neighborhood. 

Jack  Dudley,  without  leaving  camp,  was 
able  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  movements  of  his 
friend.  He  saw  him  make  his  way  to  a  jut 
ting  rock,  partly  screened  by  a  growth  of 


300  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

cedar.  Concealing  himself  as  well  as  lie 
could,  lie  raised  the  glass  to  his  eyes  and 
spent  several  minutes  in  studying  the  wild 
country  spread  below  him.  He  was  looking 
in  the  direction  of  the  break  in  the  canyon, 
beyond  which,  as  will  be  remembered,  was 
the  plateau  where  the  ponies  had  been  left  to 
crop  the  grass  while  their  masters  were  en 
gaged  elsewhere. 

Jack  did  not  attempt  to  survey  the  same 
field,  but  kept  his  gaze  upon  Hazletine.  He 
could  see  that  he  directed  his  attention  toward 
a  particular  point,  as  if  he  had  either  discov 
ered  something  or  expected  to  do  so.  The 
study  continued  only  a  few  minues,  when  he 
came  back  and  handed  the  glass  to  the  youth, 
with  the  remark : 

"  I'm  going  to  try  it  agin.  I  won't  expect 
to  see  you  till  to-morrer  morning." 

The  lad  bade  him  good-by,  and  he  took  his 
departure;  but  instead  of  descending  the 
mountain  toward  the  point  that  had  interested 
him,  he  followed  the  opposite  course,  as  if  he 
intended  to  push  through  to  the  other  side  of 
the  Wind  Biver  range.  This  was  so  trans- 


He  was  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  break  in  the  canyon." 


WATCHING  AND  WATCHED.  301 

parent  a  subterfuge  that  it  did  not  deceive 
Jack. 

"He  has  discovered  something,"  was  his 
conclusion ;  "  he  doesn't  choose  to  tell  me, 
and  it  makes  little  difference.  I  wonder 
whether  he  believes  I  intend  to  idle  my  time 
till  night  and  then  go  back  to  headquarters 
and  wait  for  him  ?  If  he  thinks  so,  he  makes 
a  mistake." 

Waiting  until  sure  his  friend  was  beyond 
sight,  Jack  carefully  picked  his  way  to  the 
rock  from  which  Hank  had  made  the  observa 
tion  that  decided  his  line  of  action.  The 
better  to  screen  himself  the  youth  lay  down 
on  his  face,  as  when  peering  over  the  ridge 
into  the  valley  where  the  antelope  were  graz 
ing,  and  held  the  glass  to  his  eyes. 

Thus  looking  out,  he  saw  the  plateau  in 
the  distance,  seemingly  but  a  few  rods  in  ex 
tent.  Only  one  of  the  ponies  was  visible, 
and  he  resembled  a  small  dog,  standing  with 
head  down,  in  the  middle  of  the  grassy  plot. 
Beyond  and  between  were  foot-hills,  peaks  of 
varying  heights,  gorges,  ravines  and  hollows, 
with  rocks,  boulders  and  stunted  trees  scat- 


302  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

tered  in  profusion.  The  picturesqueness  of 
the  scene  was  deepened  by  a  thin,  blue  col 
umn  of  vapor  in  the  distance,  ascending  from 
an  invisible  camp-fire.  The  smoke  rose 
steadily,  so  it  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  it 
was  meant  for  a  signal,  like  those  already 
described. 

The  most  attractive  point  was  the  break  in 
the  canyon,  already  described.  This  was  in 
plain  sight,  with  the  expanse  of  swiftly-flow 
ing  water,  which  soon  disappeared  between 
the  walls  on  the  opposite  side. 

Suddenly  Jack  started.  Two  Indians  were 
visible,  though  they  were  in  view  for  only  a 
few  minutes.  They  came  from  the  base  of 
the  incline  where  the  boys  had  seen  three 
of  them  the  day  before,  and  passed  out  of 
sight  before  the  interested  observer  could 
decide  whether  Motoza,  the  Sioux,  was  one  of 
them. 

"  I  believe  Hank  has  gone  down  there," 
was  the  conclusion  of  Jack,  "and  I  shall  do 
the  same." 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.      303 


j 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON. 

ACK  DUDLEY'S  enforced  idleness  had 
become  intolerable.  He  could  stay  no 
longer  in  the  place  from  which  Hank  Hazle- 
tine  had  departed  a  half-hour  before.  It  was 
a  waste  of  time  to  speculate  over  the  inten 
tions  of  the  veteran,  and  the  youth  made  no 
attempt  to  do  so.  He  had  set  out  to  see 
whether  he  could  act  even  an  insignificant 
part  in  the  recovery  of  his  loved  comrade. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  boy  had  the  ad 
vantage  over  the  man  in  that  it  was  not  to 
be  supposed  any  importance  would  be  at 
tached  to  his  actions.  At  the  same  time  he 
was  liable  to  "  put  his  foot  in  it"  in  more  ways 
than  one. 

Somehow  or  other  the  conviction  clung  to 
Jack  Dudley  that  the  key  to  the  situation 
was  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  canyon. 
There  must  be  hundreds  of  places  among  the 


304  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

mountains  where  a  prisoner  could  be  hidden 
from  human  eyes,  but  Hazletine's  interest 
centred  in  that  wild  gorge,  and  Jack  was 
certain  he  had  gone  thither. 

Then  there  was  the  fact  of  the  cowman's 
visit  two  days  before,  concerning  which  he 
would  have  said  nothing  but  for  his  discov 
ery  by  the  boys.  Why  Hank  should  have 
picked  his  way  up  that  dangerous  place  was 
known  only  to  himself.  Jack  could  form  no 
theory  to  explain  it.  But  he  did  not  forget 
the  dispute  of  the  three  Indians  in  front  of 
the  break  and  the  start  which  one  of  them 
made  to  follow  the  footsteps  of  the  white  man. 
There  must  be  some  attraction  in  the  canyon 
for  them  all. 

Jack's  dread  was  that  Hazletine,  despite  his 
undoubted  skill,  would  frighten  Tozer  and 
Motoza  by  his  efforts  to  defeat  their  purpose, 
and  drive  them  into  slaying  Fred  and  making 
off  before  they  could  be  punished.  But  the 
cowman  had  his  own  views,  and  it  was  too 
late  to  dissuade  him. 

Keeping  in  mind  the  warning  of  his  friend 
to  use  all  possible  circumspection  in  his  ac- 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       305 

tions,  Jack  was  so  guarded  that  a  full  hour 
had  passed  when  he  once  more  reached  the 
break  in  the  canyon,  which  had  already  af 
forded  them  more  than  one  interesting  expe 
rience. 

So  far  as  he  could  judge,  he  was  the  only 
living  person  within  miles.  The  two  In 
dians  that  had  flitted  across  his  field  of  vision 
were  gone,  and  it  was  impossible  to  say  what 
had  become  of  Hazletine.  Determined,  how 
ever,  to  run  no  unnecessary  risk,  Jack  re 
mained  among  the  trees  and  rocks  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  break,  where  he  could  not 
be  seen  unless  some  one  almost  stepped  upon 
him.  Not  satisfied  with  his  first  position,  he 
shifted  further  to  the  right,  and  lay  down  to 
wait  and  watch. 

A  gradual  obscuring  of  the  sky  caused  him 
to  look  at  his  watch.  Could  it  be  possible  ? 
The  autumn  afternoon  was  almost  gone. 
Night  was  at  hand,  whereas  he  had  supposed 
several  hours  of  daylight  remained.  Thus 
valuable  time  had  slipped  past  and  nothing 
had  been  done  for  Fred  Greenwood. 

From  where   Jack   lay  he  had  a   perfect 

20 


306  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

view  of  the  upper  gate,  as  it  may  be  called, 
of  the  canyon.  The  gorge  has  already  been 
described  as  narrow  at  the  point  where  the 
foamy  waters  dashed  through  and  expanded 
into  the  broad  pool,  after  which  they  flowed  a 
short  way  and  reunited,  to  make  their  next 
plunge  between  the  mountain  walls  on  their 
journey  to  the  sea  thousands  of  miles  distant. 
Looking  across  this  break,  the  boy  could 
penetrate  with  his  eye  for  a  dozen  yards  into 
the  upper  canyon.  He  saw  the  dripping 
rocks  upon  which  the  angry  buck  sprang, 
only  to  pause  and  turn  back  to  join  his  com 
panions  below. 

A  curious  thing  happened.  Jack  was  look 
ing  in  the  direction  named,  when,  with  start 
ling  suddenness,  an  Indian  shot  into  sight  on 
the  furthest  rock,  beyond  which  the  canyon 
made  a  sweeping  curve  that  shut  off  further 
view.  His  appearance  was  like  the  upleap- 
ing  of  a  Jack-in-the-box  at  the  touch  of  the 
spring,  but  the  explanation  was  evident:  he 
was  making  his  way  down  the  gorge  from 
above,  when  his  leap  from  one  rock  to  another 
brought  him  thus  abruptly  into  view. 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       307 

This  was  interesting  of  itself,  but  a  still 
more  interesting  discovery  came  with  the 
second  glance  at  him.  He  was  Motoza,  the 
Sioux ! 

It  looked  as  if  Hank  Hazletine,  with  all  his 
subtlety  and  woodcraft,  had  failed  to  do  that 
which  came  of  itself  to  Jack  Dudley. 

The  actions  of  the  Sioux  showed  he  was 
unusually  careful  about  being  seen  as  he 
emerged  from  the  canyon  into  fuller  view,  for, 
after  leaping  to  the  rock  which  stood  at  the 
door  of  the  gorge,  he  stood  a  minute,  then 
leaned  forward  and  peered  around  the  sides 
as  far  as  he  could  without  losing  his  balance. 
He  next  stood  erect  and  looked  keenly  across 
the  pool,  and  apparently  at  the  very  spot  where 
the  boy  lay  hiding. 

"  What  a  face  !"  muttered  Jack ;  "  I  never 
saw  one  so  ugly,  with  those  daubs  of  paint ; 
and  his  eyes  shine  just  like  that  rattlesnake's 
we  killed.  It  can't  be  he  sees  me,"  added  the 
youth  in  alarm,  as  he  cowered  still  lower; 
"one  would  think  he  could  look  through  a 
stone." 

But  nothing  less  than  the  Boentgen  ray 


308  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

would  have  revealed  the  young  man,  who  was 
stealthily  watching  the  ferocious  buck.  The 
latter  must  have  decided  that  the  coast  was 
clear,  for  with  another  bound  he  landed  upon 
a  rock  quite  a  way  from  the  opening  of  the 
canyon,  and  a  second  leap  placed  him  on 
the  shore  where  three  of  his  race  had  been 
standing  when  discovered  by  Jack  and  Fred. 

Motoza  did  not  linger,  but  moved  with 
a  very  rapid  stride  across  the  open  space, 
where  he  was  in  full  view  of  anyone  in  the 
vicinity. 

"If  I  were  sure  you  had  done  any  harm  to 
Fred,"  muttered  Jack,  never  removing  his 
eyes  from  the  repellant  countenance,  "I  be 
lieve  I  could  treat  you  as  we  did  the  grizzly 
bear  without  a  sting  of  conscience.  The  idea 
of  your  harming  a  hair  of  the  head  of  Fred 
Greenwood,  who  showed  you  tenfold  more 
mercy  than  you  deserved — my  gracious !  he 
must  have  seen  me." 

This  involuntary  exclamation  was  caused  by 
the  fact  that  the  Sioux  was  following  a  bee- 
line  for  the  spot  where  Jack  lay.  Believing  a 
meeting  inevitable,  the  youth  placed  his  hand 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       309 

on  his  revolver,  the  preferable  weapon  in  the 
event  of  coming  to  close  quarters. 

But  at  the  last  moment  Motoza  turned  to 
the  left  and  passed  among  the  rocks  within  a 
couple  of  paces  of  the  youth,  who  held  his 
breath  until  he  was  gone. 

For  some  reasons  Jack  Dudley  would  have 
welcomed  a  meeting  with  this  miscreant,  for 
he  held  him  in  no  fear.  For  one  moment 
he  meditated  "holding  him  up,"  with  the 
threat  of  death  unless  he  produced  Fred 
Greenwood;  but  fortunately  the  youth  had 
time  in  which  to  see  the  wild  absurdity  of  the 
thing,  which  could  have  done  no  possible 
good  and  probably  would  have  brought  great 
harm.  So  it  was  that  Motoza  passed  out 
of  sight  arid  the  youth  was  once  more  left 
alone. 

But  Jack's  thoughts  had  taken  a  new  turn. 
Hazletine  had  expressed  the  belief  that  in  the 
interval  between  the  first  and  second  meeting 
with  Tozer  either  he  or  Motoza  would  hold 
communication  with  their  prisoner;  conse 
quently,  if  the  Sioux  could  be  kept  under 
surveillance  without  exciting  his  suspicion, 


TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

he  was  likely  to  give  some  involuntary  and 

useful  information. 

"  I  wonder  where  Hank  is ;  can  it  be  that 

he,  too,  is  watching  in  the  neighborhood  and 

has  seen  Motoza  come  out  as  I  saw  him  ?     If 

so,  the  next  fellow  to  pass  in  review  before  me 

will  be  my  esteemed  friend." 

When,  however,  a  half-hour  had  gone  by 

without  anything  being  seen  of  the  cowman, 
Jack  was  warranted  in  believing  that  he  was 
the  only  one  who  was  aware  of  the  coming 
and  going  of  the  red  man. 

Following  out  Hazletine's  theory,  it  would 
seem  that  the  prison  of  Fred  Greenwood,  in 
stead  of  being  among  the  mountains,  was  with 
in  the  gorge.  This  was  a  startling  conclu 
sion,  but  the  more  Jack  reflected  upon  it  the 
more  strongly  did  he  believe  it. 

"  At  any  rate,  I  mean  to  find  out  whether 
it  is  so." 

^  But  on  the  verge  of  setting  out  he  hesitated. 
There  was  more  than  one  reason  why  he 
should  do  so.  In  the  first  place,  it  was  ex 
ceedingly  dangerous  to  attempt  to  make  his 
way  up  the  canyon  even  by  daylight,  and  the 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       311 

sun  had  already  disappeared.  He  was  totally 
unfamiliar  with  the  windings  and  would  be 
in  constant  danger  of  drowning.  Moreover, 
he  was  liable,  in  the  event  of  Fred  being  held 
a  prisoner  in  the  gorge,  to  place  himself  with 
him,  or  to  defeat  the  negotiations  for  restoring 
him  to  liberty. 

And  yet,  in  the  face  of  these  and  other  ob 
stacles,  the  youth  decided  to  make  the  fool 
hardy  attempt. 

First  of  all  he  fastened  his  Winchester  to 
his  back,  both  he  and  his  comrade  having 
made  provision  for  doing  that  before  leaving 
Bowman's  ranch.  Then  he  thrust  his  revol 
ver  more  firmly  into  its  resting-place.  This 
left  his  hands  free,  in  case  a  sudden  emergency 
should  call  for  their  use,  and  gave  him  an 
opportunity  of  saving  the  more  important 
weapon.  Then,  night  being  fully  come,  he 
stepped  into  the  open  space  which  marked 
the  bank  at  the  break  of  the  canyon.  The 
stars  were  shining,  but  it  would  be  a  long 
time  before  the  moon  rose. 

A  quick  glance  to  the  right  and  left  re 
vealed  nothing  to  cause  alarm,  and  Jack 


312  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

pressed  on  until  he  stood  on  the  spot  where  the 
Sioux  had  landed  when  making  his  last  leap. 
There  was  enough  star-gleam  to  show  the 
black  mass  of  stone,  like  a  crouching  monster 
gathering  to  spring  upon  him.  It  will  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  youth  was  an  exceptionally 
fine  athlete,  and,  pausing  but  a  moment,  he 
easily  made  the  leap  that  carried  him  to  the 
rock.  In  fact  the  task  was  easy,  and  he 
would  not  have  hesitated  to  follow  in  the  foot 
steps  of  the  white  man  and  Indian,  could  he 
have  had  the  twilight  of  mid-day  to  assist 
him. 

The  next  bound  placed  him  within  the 
walls  of  the  canyon,  where  he  paused  with  the 
question  whether  it  would  do  to  venture 
further.  The  rushing  waters  were  on  all  sides 
of  him,  and  the  cool  spray  was  dashed  in  his 
face  and  over  his  clothing.  It  was  to  be  sup 
posed  that  where  this  furious  current  was  com 
pressed  into  such  a  narrow  compass  its  depth 
was  considerable,  and  within  its  grasp  the 
most  powerful  swimmer  would  be  helpless. 

Peering  into  the  gloom,  the  youth  saw  the 
top  of  the  next  rock  which  was  used  as  a 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.      313 

stepping-stone  by  other  visitors.  If  he  were 
mistaken  it  would  be  bad  for  him,  but,  with 
only  a  few  minutes'  pause,  he  gathered  his 
muscles  and  proved  he  was  right.  He  was 
now  fairly  within  the  canyon  and  still  stand 
ing  on  solid  support,  while  there  had  been  no 
trouble  to  maintain  his  foothold  from  the  mo 
ment  he  made  the  first  leap. 

His  success  thus  far  gave  him  renewed 
courage. 

"  What  one  person  has  done  another  can 
do,"  was  his  thought.  "Fred  and  I  agreed 
that  there  is  a  good  deal  of  risk  in  this,  but 
if  I  had  a  little  more  light  nothing  could  be 
easier.  These  rocks  seem  to  be  placed  at  the 
right  intervals,  and  so  long  as  I  can  locate 
them  I'll  go  ahead." 

The  belief  of  Jack  was  that  somewhere  in 
the  side  of  the  canyon  was  a  cave  in  which  his 
comrade  was  held  captive.  The  sight  that  the 
two  boys  had  obtained  of  Hank  Hazletine, 
when  he  disappeared  so  suddenly  from  sight, 
lent  strength  to  the  theory.  If  the  youth  was 
right,  the  time  of  his  attempt  to  ascend  the 
gorge,  with  the  exception  of  the  darkness, 


314  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

could  not  have  been  more  favorable,  for  Mo- 
toza  was  absent,  and  it  was  hardly  to  be  sup 
posed  that  his  place  had  been  taken  by  Tozer 
or  anyone  else.  What  a  happy  meeting  it 
would  be  if  the  elder  could  find  the  younger! 
The  natural  reasoning  was  that,  if  one  boy 
was  able  to  ascend  the  canyon  to  where  the 
other  was  imprisoned,  the  latter  ought  to  be 
able  to  leave  his  prison  when  the  gaoler  was 
absent.  Jack's  explanation  was  probably  the 
right  one — either  that  Fred  did  not  know 
how  readily  the  thing  could  be  done,  or  Jack 
was  soon  to  find  himself  unable  to  complete 
his  journey. 

Spurred  on  by  the  hope  of  doing  so  much 
for  the  one  he  loved,  Jack  paused  only  long 
enough  to  locate  the  next  rock,  when  he  again 
leaped  with  the  easy  strength  and  grace  that 
were  natural  to  him.  His  success  did  not  ren 
der  him  careless.  He  was  almost  in  utter 
darkness,  and  was  surprised  that  the  way 
proved  so  easy.  By  leaning  forward  and 
peering  into  the  gloom  he  could  generally 
distinguish  the  most  shadowy  outlines  of  the 
nearest  part  of  the  support,  which,  had  it  been 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       315 

slightly  further  removed,  would  have  been 
altogether  beyond  his  reach. 

It  was  unreasonable  to  expect  the  favorable 
conditions  to  continue,  and  they  did  not.  The 
time  came  very  soon  when,  after  one  of  his 
leaps,  the  youth  paused  to  collect  himself,  and 
was  unable  to  distinguish  the  next  rock  pro 
jecting  above  the  roaring  current.  The  can 
yon  just  there  was  wider  than  usual,  and  he 
stooped  over  and  gazed  to  the  right  and  left 
in  turn,  hoping  to  discover  the  indispensable 
support. 

"It  must  be  somewhere  near,"  he  reflected, 
"  else  Hank  and  the  rest  of  them  could  have 
ascended  no  further ;  perhaps  they  did  not  do 


so." 


He  gazed  up  the  walls  of  darkness,  but  saw 
nothing  that  could  help  solve  the  question. 
If  there  was  a  cave  near  at  hand  its  presence 
was  betrayed  by  no  friendly  light.  Although 
the  tumult  of  the  current  was  almost  deafen 
ing,  he  shouted  the  name  of  Fred  and  lis 
tened  for  the  response  which  came  not. 

It  was  not  difficult  for  Jack  Dudley  to  form 
the  explanation  of  why  he  failed  to  discern 


316  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

the  next  support.  Hitherto  his  leaps  had 
been  comparatively  trifling.  It  would  have 
been  no  trouble  to  make  them  several  feet 
longer.  This  was  a  spot  where  such  a  jump 
was  necessary,  and  therefore  he  could  not  dis 
cern  the  rock  which  would  have  been  visible 
with  the  help  of  the  sun  or  moon. 

What  should  he  do  ?  Turn  back  or  keep 
on  ?  It  was  a  most  serious  question,  and  he 
debated  it  a  long  time  before  forming  a  con 
clusion. 

It  is  remarkable  how  readily,  at  times,  we 
can  convince  ourselves  of  the  truth  of  that 
which  we  wish  to  believe.  By  and  by  Jack 
Dudley  was  sure  he  made  out  the  dim  out 
lines  of  the  lower  point  of  a  huge  rock,  just 
where  it  ought  to  have  been. 

"  I  can't  be  mistaken,  so  here  goes  !" 

And  go  he  did,  with  a  vengeance.  It  was 
the  finest  leap  yet  made,  but,  unfortunately, 
the  support  upon  which  he  so  confidently 
counted  had  no  existence.  Instead  of  land 
ing  on  solid  stone,  he  dropped  into  the  rag 
ing  torrent  and  went  spinning  down  stream 
like  a  cork  in  a  whirlpool. 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       317 

He  kept  his  presence  of  mind,  and  did  not 
exhaust  his  strength  by  trying  to  stem  the 
current.  His  great  peril  was  in  being  hurled 
against  some  of  the  rocks  and  killed  or  hav 
ing  a  limb  broken.  Throwing  out  his  arms 
just  in  time  he  averted  this  calamity,  and 
feeling  himself  scraping  swiftly  past  one  of 
the  masses  of  stone  that  had  served  him  as  a 
support,  he  desperately  griped  it  and  drew 
himself  out  of  the  water. 

He  was  uninjured,  but  became  immediately 
conscious  of  a  great  misfortune.  In  the  flurry 
his  Winchester  had  become  displaced  and  was 
irrecoverably  gone.  It  was  with  an  exclama 
tion  of  relief  that  he  found  his  revolver  in 
place  at  his  hip. 

"This  expedition  of  mine,  considered 
strictly  as  an  expedition,  is  a  failure/'  he 
grimly  muttered,  thankful  for  his  own  escape, 
and  still  convinced  that  it  was  not  as  bad  as 
it  might  have  been  with  his  friend.  "  It 
won't  do  to  try  it  again,  and  it  remains  for 
me  to  get  out  of  the  canyon  altogether." 

He  had  landed  upon  the  extreme  upper  end 
of  the  most  immense  rock  of  all  that  had  been 


*318  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


used  to  help  in  the  ascent.  He  remembered 
it  well.  The  upper  portion  was  depressed  and 
sloping,  being  three  or  four  feet  above  the 
current.  Thus  it  happened  that  the  point  to 
which  he  was  clinging  allowed  him  to  be  del 
uged  with  spray,  and  he  strove  to  climb  to 
the  higher  part. 

He  was  thus  engaged,  conscious  of  a  num 
ber  of  severe  bruises,  when  an  object  whisked 
past  his  shoulder,  taking  a  direction  up  the 
gorge.  He  felt  it  graze  his  face,  and  detected 
something  that  can  only  be  described  as  a 
deepening  of  the  dense  gloom  as  it  shot  over 
his  head.  It  came  and  vanished  like  the  flit 
ting  of  a  bird's  wing. 

The  youth  for  the  moment  was  amazed  be 
yond  expression,  and  was  at  a  loss  to  explain 
what  it  could  be.  Then  the  truth  flashed 
upon  him.  Some  one  else  was  also  going  up 
the  canyon,  and  had  leaped  from  the  rock  to 
which  Jack  was  clinging,  on  his  way  to  the 
next  one.  He  strove  to  pierce  the  darkness, 
but  the  effort  was  useless. 

"  I  would  give  a  good  deal  to  know  who  he 
was;  I  couldn't  make  out  whether  it  was  a 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.      319 

white  man  or  an  Indian.  It  may  have  been 
Motoza,  Tozer,  Hank,  or  a  stranger;  but  who 
ever  he  was,  he  has  no  use  for  me." 

Half  suspecting  a  third  party  might  put  in 
an  appearance,  Jack  waited  on  the  rock  for 
some  minutes,  but  nothing  of  the  kind  oc 
curred,  and  he  prepared  to  continue  his  re 
treat. 

The  water  was  almost  icy  cold,  the  temper 
ature  being  perceptibly  lower  between  the 
walls  of  the  canyon  and  the  clear  air  outside. 
With  his  saturated  garments,  the  youth  was 
chilled  and  anxious  to  reach  a  point  where  he 
could  start  a  fire  and  obtain  warmth  for  his 
body.  He  had  given  over  the  expectation  of 
seeing  any  more  persons  in  the  gorge  and 
wished  to  look  after  his  own  comfort. 

To  this  haste  was  to  be  attributed  the 
second  accident  that  overtook  the  young  man. 
He  had  no  difficulty  in  locating  the  place  to 
land,  but  he  put  too  much  vigor  in  the  effort, 
so  that  when  he  struck  the  slippery  rock  his 
momentum  carried  him  forward,  and  despite 
his  resistance  he  took  another  plunge  into  the 
raging  current  before  he  could  check  himself. 


320  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  place  was  preferable  to  the  previous 
one,  for  it  was  almost  at  the  mouth  of  the 
canyon.  He  was  guiding  himself  as  best  he 
could,  and  on  the  alert  to  grasp  something  to 
check  his  swift  progress,  when  he  debouched 
into  the  broad,  open  pool  or  miniature  lake  at 
the  break  in  the  banks,  where  the  current  be 
came  so  sluggish  that  he  swam  with  ease. 

"This  is  growing  monotonous,"  he  mut 
tered,  as,  after  a  few  strokes,  his  feet  touched 
bottom  and  he  walked  out  on  dry  land.  "  My 
rifle  is  gone,  but  luckily  I  have  kept  my  re 
volver  for  emergencies " 

He  got  no  further  with  the  remark,  for  his 
hand  had  gone  back  to  his  hip  with  the  result 
of  discovering  that  the  smaller  weapon  had 
been  lost  during  his  last  bath.  But  it  was 
impossible  wholly  to  lose  his  good  spirits. 

"  Whew !  but  that  puts  me  in  a  fine  condi 
tion  to  hunt  grizzly  bears  and  meet  bad  In 
dians  ;  I'm  not  so  anxious  to  see  Motoza  as  I 


was." 


His  teeth  were  chattering,  and  to  start  his 
blood  in  circulation  he  began  climbing  the 
sloping  bank,  at  the  top  of  which,  as  will  be 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       321 

remembered,  he  had  remained  hidden  with 
Fred  Greenwood  when  looking  down  upon 
the  three  Indians. 

It  was  a  laborious  task,  and  he  was  panting 
when  he  reached  the  summit,  where  he  paused 
for  a  few  minutes'  rest.  The  prudent  course 
was  to  return  as  speedily  as  he  could  to  the 
cavern  by  the  plateau  and  start  a  fire.  His 
blanket  had  been  left  there,  and  would  be  of 
great  use  in  his  present  condition. 

"  I  wonder,  now,  if  somebody  has  been  there 
and  stolen  them?"  he  muttered,  resuming  his 
homeward  tramp ;  "  this  thing  ought  not  to 
stop,  and  it  seems  to  me  Hank  takes  big 
chances  in  leaving  the  blankets  and  ponies 
where  some  of  these  Indians  can  steal  them." 

Jack  had  still  to  leap  the  canyon  in  order 
to  reach  his  destination,  but  the  task  had  be 
come  an  easy  one  and  caused  him  no  anxiety. 
All  was  going  well,  when  his  first  shock  of 
alarm  came  with  the  discovery  that  a  wild 
animal  was  following  him.  His  first  thought 
was  that  it  was  one  of  the  Indians,  but  a 
glimpse,  on  the  edge  of  a  slight  clearing, 
showed  that  it  was  a  quadruped. 

21 


322  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

Jack  paused  and  looked  intently  at  the 
creature.  He  could  see  it  only  dimly,  but 
sufficiently  so  to  identify  it  as  a  wolf  of  un 
usually  large  size.  He  suspected  it  was  of  the 
black  species,  one  of  those  savage  brutes  to 
be  dreaded  tenfold  more  than  the  ordinary 
grey  kind. 

"  I  wonder  whether  he  knows  I  haven't  got 
a  firearm  about  me?  Ah,  old  fellow,  if  I  had 
my  Winchester  it  wouldn't  take  me  long  to 
settle  you." 

It  was  no  jesting  matter,  and  Jack  kept 
close  watch  of  him  while  threading  his  way 
to  camp,  as  their  headquarters  were  called. 
Several  times,  when  he  turned  quickly,  he 
was  startled  to  observe  that  the  animal  had 
stolen  quite  close  to  him,  as  if  to  leap  upon 
his  shoulders ;  but  he  showed  his  cowardly 
nature  by  darting  back,  only  to  return  the 
moment  the  youth  turned  his  face  away. 

The  question  with  Jack  was  whether  he 
should  stop  and  kindle  a  fire,  or  wait  until  he 
reached  the  cavern.  He  preferred  to  do  the 
latter,  but  it  looked  unsafe  to  defer  the  pre 
caution.  The  distance,  however,  was  short, 


INTO  AND  OUT  OF  THE  CANYON.       323 

and  he  hurried  on  until  he  clambered  over  to 
the  plateau  and  was  greeted  by  a  whinny 
from  his  pony,  Dick,  who  was  quick  to  recog 
nize  him.  Instead  of  keeping  up  the  pursuit, 
or  attacking  one  of  the  horses,  the  wolf 
seemed  to  conclude  it  best  to  turn  his  atten 
tion  elsewhere.  He  slunk  off,  and  was  seen 
no  more. 


324  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

THE    QUEST    OF    THE   COWMAN. 

IT  was  Hank  Hazletine,  the  cowman,  who 
leaped  over  the  head  of  Jack  Dudley 
when  he  was  crouching  on  the  rock  in  the 
canyon,  and  it  happened  in  this  way : 

It  has  been  intimated  that  when  the  vet 
eran  left  the  boy  at  the  temporary  camp  on 
the  mountain  side  his  intention  was  to  learn 
the  whereabouts  of  Motoza,  the  Sioux,  hoping 
thereby  to  gain  knowledge  of  the  missing 
Fred  Greenwood. 

This  was  a  task  of  extreme  difficulty,  inas 
much  as  it  was  certain  the  vagrant  red  man 
would  be  on  his  guard  against  such  strategy. 
The  Indian  whom  Hank  saw  with  the  aid  of 
the  spy-glass  was  not  he  whom  he  wished  to 
trace,  but,  suspecting  he  was  in  the  vicinity, 
the  cowman  made  his  way  thither  by  a  round 
about  course.  He  was  on  the  alert  for  the 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.       325 

fellow,  or  for  his  ally,  Bill  Tozer.  Should 
either  or  both  of  them  discover  Hank,  he 
might  well  assume  that  it  was  an  accident. 
It  could  hardly  be  expected  of  him  that  he 
would  remain  at  the  cavern  for  twenty-four 
hours,  awaiting  the  time  for  Tozer  to  meet 
him.  His  most  natural  course  would  be  to 
engage  in  hunting  with  his  youthful  com 
panion,  and  he  could  reasonably  claim  to  be 
thus  engaged  if  a  meeting  took  place. 

Should  events  prove  that  the  plotters  were 
too  watchful  to  be  caught  off  their  guard,  then 
the  second  phase  of  the  business  was  to  be 
considered ;  but  it  remained  to  be  seen 
whether  such  was  the  fact.  The  ransom  was 
to  be  agreed  to  when  it  was  apparent  that  no 
other  course  could  save  the  lad. 

Advancing  with  the  care  and  stealth  of  a 
trained  Indian  scout,  Hazletine  remained  but 
a  short  time  near  the  break  in  the  canyon, 
for  suspecting,  as  did  Jack  Dudley,  that  it 
was  in  that  neighborhood  the  key  to  the  situ 
ation  was  to  be  found,  he  was  exposing  him 
self  to  discovery.  He  climbed  the  same  as 
cent,  leaped  the  canyon,  and  ensconced  him- 


326  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

self  on  the  further  side.  His  intention  was 
to  peer  over  the  edge  into  the  depths  below, 
instead  of  taking  the  course  followed  later  by 
his  young  friend. 

He  was  acting  on  this  idea,  when  he  came 
within  a  hair  of  spoiling  everything  by  com 
mitting  the  very  blunder  against  which  he 
had  sought  with  so  much  pains  to  guard.  At 
his  height  above  the  torrent,  as  will  be  re 
membered,  no  one  was  disturbed  by  the  roar 
of  the  waters  far  below.  Because  of  his  sus 
ceptibility  to  sounds,  he  heard  an  exclamation 
uttered  by  some  one  near  him.  The  point 
whence  it  came  was  a  clump  of  rocks  hardly 
fifty  feet  distant,  and  he  fancied  he  recognized 
the  voice  as  Bill  Tozer's.  To  his  relief  he 
could  see  no  one,  and  it  was  safe,  therefore,  to 
assume  that  no  one  as  yet  saw  him. 

The  ground  was  favorable,  and  by  using 
the  utmost  care  he  secured  a  position  from 
which  he  discovered  Tozer  and  Motoza  in 
conversation.  The  white  man  was  sitting  on 
a  boulder,  while  the  Sioux  was  standing  in 
front  of  him,  gesticulating  as  if  angry  over 
something  that  had  been  proposed  or  said. 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.        327 

Tozer  was  smoking  a  pipe,  and  seemed  cool 
and  collected,  though  the  exclamation  which 
had  betrayed  him  indicated  that  it  had  not 
been  thus  from  the  beginning. 

It  was  an  important  discovery  for  Hazle- 
tine  to  make,  but  it  was  attended  by  two  ex 
asperating  facts :  the  interview  was  nearly 
over,  and  the  words  that  remained  to  be  spoken 
were  uttered  in  such  moderate  tones  that  he 
could  not  hear  a  syllable.  If  the  couple  had 
been  obliging  enough  to  raise  their  voices,  it 
is  probable  that  the  knowledge  sought  by  the 
eavesdropper  would  have  soon  been  at  his 
command. 

But  nothing  of  that  nature  took  place. 
Within  five  minutes  after  the  arrival  of  the 
cowman,  prepared  to  act  his  part  as  spy, 
Motoza  turned  about  and  walked  away  in  the 
direction  of  the  canyon,  while  Tozer  took  a 
course  which,  if  continued,  would  lead  him 
to  the  plateau. 

"I  don't  think  he'll  go  there,  fur  he's  no 
reason  to  look  fur  me  in  that  place  afore  to- 
morrer  morning." 

But  the  white  man  was  not  the  important 


328  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

factor  in  the  problem.  Hank  waited  for  some 
minutes  after  he  had  passed  from  sight,  and 
then  set  out  to  regain  sight  of  Motoza,  which 
task  proved  more  difficult  than  he  expected. 
The  fellow  had  vanished,  and  it  was  impossible 
to  tell  whither  he  had  gone.  The  rocky  sur 
face  left  no  trail  which  even  an  Apache  could 
follow,  and  it  only  remained  for  the  cowman 
to  fall  back  upon  what  may  be  called  general 
principles. 

The  experience  of  the  cowman  was  another 
illustration  of  how  much  depends  in  this 
world  on  what  is  called  chance. 

Jack  Dudley,  without  any  preliminary 
training  in  woodcraft,  discovered  Motoza  as 
he  emerged  from  the  canyon,  while  the  vet 
eran  of  the  West,  skilled  in  all  the  ways  of 
his  venturesome  life,  spent  hours  in  looking 
for  the  Sioux  without  obtaining  the  first 
glimpse  of  him.  That  he  missed  him  by  a 
margin  that  could  not  have  been  narrower 
was  a  fact ;  but  "a  miss  is  as  good  as  a  mile," 
and  the  autumn  afternoon  drew  to  a  close 
without  the  first  glimmer  of  success  on  his 
part.  He  had  gone  so  far,  even,  as  to  visit  a 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.  329 

distant  camp-fire,  whose  smoke  still  faintly 
showed  against  the  clear  sky,  but  failed  to 
see  a  living  person. 

He  was  on  the  point  of  giving  over  his 
quest,  when  the  unexpected  happened.  With 
in  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  break  in  the 
canyon  he  caught  sight  of  Motoza  and  Tozer 
holding  another  consultation.  They  had  evi 
dently  just  met,  and  the  configuration  of  the 
ground  enabled  Hazletine  to  steal  near  enough 
to  catch  some  of  the  words  spoken  by  the  couple. 

The  two  were  standing  face  to  face,  and 
their  actions  were  peculiar.  Motoza  was  in 
the  act  of  handing  his  Winchester  rifle  to 
Tozer,  who,  accepting  the  weapon,  turned  it 
over  and  examined  it  with  interest.  Since  he 
could  not  speak  the  Sioux  he  used  the  Eng 
lish  language,  of  which,  as  will  be  remem 
bered,  Motoza  possessed  a  fair  knowledge. 

"You're  lucky,"  he  said;  "the  gun  is 
worth  more  than  yours.  So  you  made  a  trade 
with  the  young  man  ?" 

"Yes — me  trade,"  replied  the  Sioux,  his 
painted  face  relaxing  with  the  grin  that  had 
become  almost  chronic. 


330  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  I  don't  s'pose  he  made  any  objection — 
that  is,  he  gave  you  his  gun  without  making 
a  kick  ?" 

The  Sioux  nodded  his  head  and  still 
grinned,  Tozer  joining  him  in  the  last  expres 
sion  of  his  feelings. 

"  How  about  his  revolver  ?" 

"  He  gib  me  that,"  said  the  scamp,  drawing 
forth  the  handsome  weapon,  where  Hazletine 
had  not  observed  it,  thrust  into  the  girdle 
about  his  waist. 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  meaning  of 
these  words  and  proceedings.  All  doubt  was 
removed  as  to  the  abduction  of  Fred  Green 
wood.  Motoza  was  the  agent  in  the  outrage, 
though  whether  Tozer  had  taken  an  active 
part  in  the  same  was  yet  uncertain.  He 
scanned  the  smaller  firearm,  and  then,  instead 
of  returning  it  to  the  Sioux,  deliberately 
shoved  it  into  his  hip-pocket. 

"  I  think  I'll  take  charge  of  that,  Motoza," 

The  buck  was  about  to  make  angry  objec 
tion,  when  the  white  man  explained  : 

"When  I  meet  Hank  to-morrow  he'll  want 
some  proof  that  I  can  turn  over  the  youngster 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.  331 

to  him.  He  won't  believe  I  can  do  so  till  he 
sees  that  proof.  I'll  show  him  this  revolver, 
and  he'll  know  it  belongs  to  the  youngster. 
That  will  be  all  the  proof  he'll  ask.  The  rest 
will  come  easy ;  and,  Motoza,  you  and  I  will 
be  rich." 

There  was  an  emphasis  in  this  declaration 
that  was  convincing  to  the  dusky  partner  in 
crime.  He  nodded  his  head  and  made  no 
further  protest.  Evidently  he  was  under  the 
influence  of  his  white  ally. 

At  this  juncture  the  couple  turned  their 
backs  upon  the  eavesdropper,  who  had  stolen 
to  within  a  few  paces  of  them.  They  con 
tinued  talking,  but  the  change  of  position 
prevented  his  hearing  what  was  said.  It  was 
peculiarly  exasperating,  for,  though  he  had 
gained  considerable  information,  he  still 
lacked  the  most  important  news  of  all.  He 
had  heard  no  intimation  of  where  the  pris 
oner  was  held.  Could  he  but  learn  that,  he 
would  have  lost  no  time  in  attempting  his 
rescue.  It  must  be  said,  furthermore,  that 
had  such  knowledge  come  to  him  he  would 
not  have  hesitated  to  draw  bead  on  the  two 


332  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

miscreants  in  turn,  and  shoot  them  down  in 
their  tracks.  He  was  thoroughly  enraged, 
and  they  deserved  the  fate. 

A  few  minutes  after  the  change  of  position 
the  couple  walked  away,  side  by  side,  still 
conversing.  Certain  discovery  would  have 
followed  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  cow 
man  to  keep  at  their  heels  or  nigh  enough  to 
overhear  their  words,  so  he  held  his  place 
and  saw  them  pass  from  sight.  He  had 
noted  the  direction,  however,  and  observed 
that  it  led  from  the  canyon  and  deeper  into 
the  mountains. 

This  was  puzzling.  It  seemed  to  Hank 
that  one  or  both  would  make  their  way  to  the 
prison  of  the  youth,  for  it  was  unlikely  that 
he  would  be  left  alone  through  the  night. 
Having  no  thought  of  being  under  surveil 
lance,  Motoza  and  Tozer  would  take  a  direct 
course  to  the  place  of  confinement,  which  now 
seemed  to  be  deeper  in  the  mountains,  and  at 
some  point  of  which  the  cowman  had  no 
suspicion. 

It  was  of  the  highest  importance  that  the 
couple  should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  beyond 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.  333 

sight,  and  the  cowman  began  a  cautious 
search  for  them.  But  once  zsnsre  he  was 
doomed  to  disappointment.  In  the  gather 
ing  twilight  it  was  impossible  to  regain  sight 
of  them,  and,  convinced  of  the  uselessness  of 
the  attempt,  he  gave  it  up. 

"  It  begins  to  look  as  if  Tozer  holds  the 
winning  hand,"  he  angrily  muttered  ;  "there 
ain't  no  question  that  the  two  have  the 
younker  safe,  and  I've  no  idee  where  to  hunt 
fur  him — but  hold  on  !" 

The  conviction,  or  rather  suspicion,  that 
the  prison  of  the  youth  was  within  the  can 
yon  returned  to  the  hunter  with  redoubled 
force.  Why  had  he  not  searched  there  be 
fore?  If  it  was  a  mistake,  no  harm  could 
follow ;  if  it  was  not  a  mistake  —  well,  he 
should  see. 

Wondering  at  himself  because  of  his  over 
sight,  he  abandoned  all  attempt  to  regain 
sight  of  the  couple  and  headed  for  the  break 
in  the  canyon.  He  arrived  only  a  brief  while 
after  Jack  Dudley  attempted  and  failed  to 
follow  up  the  gorge,  and  except  for  the  mis 
hap  of  the  youth  the  two  would  have  met 


334  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

within  the  following  few  minutes.  It  has  al 
ready  been  shown  how  narrowly  they  missed 
doing  so. 

The  familiarity  of  the  cowman  with  the 
canyon  averted  the  mistake  made  by  his 
young  friend.  He  ascended  it  with  scarcely 
any  hesitation,  although  in  the  dense  gloom 
his  vision  was  almost  useless.  It  was  be 
cause  of  that  that  he  well-nigh  stepped  upon 
the  crouching  figure  without  suspecting  it. 
Reaching  the  stone  where  Jack  had  been 
overwhelmed  by  failure,  the  cowman  paused 
for  a  minute  and  peered  round  in  the  gloom. 
Not  until  he  had  glanced  upward  and  studied 
the  projecting  crags  over  his  head  as  outlined 
against  the  starlit  sky  was  he  absolutely  sure 
of  his  location  That  glance  made  every 
thing  clear. 

The  next  rock  upon  which  it  was  necessary 
to  leap  was  within  easy  reach,  and  had  Jack 
Dudley  known  its  location  he  would  have 
fallen  into  no  trouble.  It  lay  to  the  left,  close 
to  the  side  of  the  canyon,  and  really  carried 
one  no  further  up  the  gorge;  but  from  its  sur 
face  he  readily  bounded  to  one  beyond,  and 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.  335 

continued  his  leap-frog  performance  until  lie 
had  ascended  another  hundred  yards. 

He  was  now  close  to  the  point  he  had  in 
mind.  It  was  there  that  he  had  been  picking 
his  way  when  the  wondering  hoys,  looking 
down  from  the  top,  saw  him.  Hazletine 
would  have  explained  his  action  to  them  but 
for  a  certain  feeling  of  shame  which  was  not 
unnatural. 

There  had  been  rumors  for  years  among 
the  cattlemen  of  Southwestern  Wyoming  of  a 
cavern  in  the  canyon  which  was  studded  with 
gold.  Many  searches  had  been  made  for  it, 
but  without  success.  Hank  Hazletine  was 
among  those  who  engaged  in  the  hunt,  but 
neither  he  nor  his  friends  succeeded  in  find 
ing  the  place.  The  veteran  was  not  quite 
ready  to  abandon  hope,  and  when  he  found 
himself  in  the  section  once  more,  on  the  hunt 
in  which  he  acted  as  guide  for  the  boys,  he 
determined  to  make  a  decisive  exploration 
without  letting  any  one  know  his  secret. 

It  was  on  this  expedition  that  he  succeeded 
in  finding  the  cavern,  but  his  trained  eye  im 
mediately  told  him  the  marvellous  legend  was 


336  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

a  myth.  It  was  a  romantic  and  picturesque 
spot,  but  there  was  not  a  grain  of  auriferous 
metal  or  ore  in  sight.  Hoping  that  a  second 
cavern  was  in  the  vicinity,  he  extended  his 
search.  When  he  emerged  from  the  gorge, 
at  the  point  where  the  break  occurred,  it  was 
with  the  certainty  that  the  whole  thing  was  a 
fable.  With  a  grim  smile  he  dismissed  the 
matter  and  resolved  not  to  think  of  it  again. 
He  felt  that  he  had  acted  foolishly,  and  his 
reluctance  to  tell  his  story  to  his  young 
friends,  therefore,  was  only  natural. 

But  once  more  the  cowman  was  on  his  way 
to  the  mysterious  cavern,  drawn  by  the  hope, 
rather  than  the  belief,  that  it  was  there  he 
would  find  Fred  Greenwood  a  prisoner  and 
awaiting  the  completion  of  the  bargain  for 
his  release  by  his  abductors. 

Determined  to  make  no  mistake,  he  halted 
under  the  projecting  ledge  and  spent  several 
minutes  in  peering  around  in  the  gloom.  It 
looked  as  if  he  was  right;  but  the  darkness 
was  too  profound  for  him  to  make  sure,  and 
even  the  scrutiny  of  the  ribbon  of  sky  that 
showed  above  the  narrow  opening  a  thousand 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.  337 

feet  above  his  head  failed  to  remove  the  last 
vestige  of  doubt. 

Like  the  boys,  Hank  carried  a  rubber  safe 
of  matches.  Producing  this,  he  struck  one 
of  the  tiny  bits  on  the  corrugated  bottom  of 
the  little  black  box,  and,  shading  the  flame 
with  his  fingers  from  the  moist  wind  caused 
by  the  dashing  waters,  he  glanced  at  his  im 
mediate  surroundings.  He  had  strapped  his 
Winchester  to  his  back,  and  his  arms  were 
free. 

A  thrill  of  pleasure  went  through  him,  for 
the  first  scrutiny  showed  he  was  right.  Di 
rectly  over  his  head  projected  a  thin  ledge 
within  ready  reach.  It  was  what  might  be 
termed  the  doorstep  to  the  cavern.  He  had 
come  to  the  exact  spot  for  which  he  was 
searching. 

Flinging  the  extinguished  match  into  the 
waters  at  his  side,  he  reached  upward,  and 
without  difficulty  drew  himself  upon  the 
ledge.  He  was  now  in  front  of  the  cavern 
which  he  had  visited  by  daylight,  and  whose 
interior  was  impressed  so  vividly  on  his  mem 
ory  that  he  knew  every  foot  of  it. 

22 


338  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Is  the  younker  in  there  ?"  was  the  ques 
tion  he  asked  himself  after  regaining  his  feet. 
To  test  the  matter,  he  called  his  name.  The 
fierce  torrent  roared  below  and  around  him, 
but  he  was  sure  his  words  must  have  pene 
trated  into  the  dismal  recesses.  He  repeated 
the  call  several  times  without  response. 

"  It  may  be  the  younker  is  asleep,  or,  if  he 
hears  me,  he  may  take  me  fur  Motoza;  and 
yet  that  couldn't  be,  for  our  voices  don't  sound 
alike/' 

Once  more  he  produced  his  rubber  safe  and 
struck  a  match,  holding  the  twinkling  flame 
above  his  head  as  he  slowly  moved  forward 
into  the  cavern.  Before  the  light  expired  he 
had  another,  for  he  intended  to  make  his 
search  thorough. 

The  opening  in  the  side  of  the  canyon  had 
a  width  of  ten  or  twelve  feet,  was  of  the  same 
height,  and  extended  back  for  more  than  double 
the  distance.  Side,  floor  and  roof  were  of  irregu 
lar  formation,  and  the  craggy  stones  rough  and 
wet.  Had  there  been  any  gleaming  stalactites 
or  stalagmites  in  sight,  the  cause  of  the  legend 
attaching  to  the  place  would  have  been  under- 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.  339 

stood,  but  there  was  nothing  of  that  nature. 
The  cavern  was  simply  a  rent  in  the  side  of 
the  canyon  wall,  created  by  some  convulsion 
of  nature,  and  all  that  was  visible  was  damp 
limestone. 

By  the  time  the  visitor  had  burned  three 
matches  his  examination  of  the  place  was 
completed  and  he  had  made  the  discovery 
that  he  was  the  only  occupant.  Fred  Green 
wood  was  not  there,  nor  did  the  cavern  show 
signs  of  having  been  visited  by  person  or  an 
imal. 

But  hold !  When  Hank  threw  down  the 
last  expiring  match,  he  caught  a  glimpse  of 
something  white  on  the  flinty  floor.  He  had 
not  thought  of  looking  for  anything,  and  it 
was  the  accidental  following  of  the  match 
with  his  gaze  that  revealed  the  object.  In 
stantly  another  match  was  sending  out  its 
feeble  rays,  and  he  stooped  down  and  picked 
up  that  which  had  arrested  his  attention. 

It  was  a  piece  of  paper,  apparently  the 
blank  leaf  of  a  letter.  There  was  no  writing 
or  mark  on  it  to  indicate  its  ownership,  but 
had  it  been  the  visiting-card  of  Fred  Green- 


340  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

wood,  Hank  Hazletine  could  not  have  been 
more  positive  that  it  belonged  to  the  young 
man. 

It  was  impossible  that  Motoza  should  carry 
writing-paper  with  him.  The  cowman  never 
did  so,  consequently  he  could  not  have 
dropped  it  on  his  late  visit.  It  was  equally 
improbable  that  Bill  Tozer  had  anything  to 
do  with  it.  He  knew  that  both  of  the  boys 
had  paper  and  pencils  with  them,  for  he  had 
seen  them  figuring  over  some  problems  they 
were  discussing,  and  with  a  thrill  of  convic 
tion  he  remembered  that  the  paper  they  used 
was  of  precisely  the  same  pattern  as  the  piece 
he  held  in  his  hand. 

"  The  younker  has  been  here,  but  what  the 
mischief  has  become  of  him?"  and  the  mys 
tified  cowman  looked  right  and  left,  on  the 
floor  and  at  the  roof,  as  if  he  suspected  the 
youth  was  hiding  in  one  of  those  places. 

An  explanation  suggested  itself.  After 
taking  the  lad  to  the  cavern,  his  captor  from 
some  cause  had  changed  his  mind  and  trans 
ferred  him  to  another  place  of  confinement. 

No ;  there  was  another  theory  which  would 


THE  QUEST  OF  THE  COWMAN.       341 

explain  the  mystery :  it  was  that  Motoza, 
yielding  to  his  implacable  enmity  of  the 
youth,  had  placed  him  beyond  all  reach  of 
his  friends.  The  spirit  of  revenge  with  an 
American  Indian  is  tenfold  stronger  than 
cupidity.  It  was  not  improbable  that  the 
miscreant,  having  ct  mm  it  ted  the  unspeakable 
crime,  was  concealing  it  from  Tozer,  his  ally 
in  the  dreadful  business. 

The  work  of  the  cowman  was  finished  for 
the  time.  He  carefully  let  himself  down  from 
the  ledge  to  the  rock  immediately  beneath, 
and  began  working  his  way  through  the 
canyon  to  the  opening  at  the  break.  His 
familiarity  stood  him  in  as  good  stead  as 
before,  and  he  reached  the  place  without 
mishap.  Climbing  the  steep  slope  to  the 
higher  ground,  he  sat  down  for  a  few  minutes' 
thought. 

It  was  well  into  the  night,  and  it  was  use 
less  to  attempt  to  do  anything  more.  He  was 
as  firmly  resolved,  however,  as  before  not  to 
be  outwitted  by  the  ruffians  with  whom  he 
was  dealing.  He  would  consent  to  no  at 
tempt  to  pay  them  a  ransom  until  he  knew 


342  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

beyond  perad venture  that  their  part  of  the 
contract  would  be  fulfilled. 

"  If  they  try  any  crooked  work/7  he  mut 
tered,  with  deadly  earnestness,  "  both  of  'em 
have  got  to  settle  with  Hank  Hazletine." 

He  gave  no  thought  to  Jack  Dudley,  for 
he  took  it  for  granted  that  he  had  been  able 
to  look  out  for  himself  during  the  day.  Fol 
lowing  the  route  so  well  known  to  him,  he 
reached  the  plateau  within  an  hour  after  the 
arrival  of  the  youth,  who  had  started  a  fire 
and  was  doing  his  best  to  dry  his  clothing 
and  gain  some  warmth  for  his  chilled  -body. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  the  cowman  was 
interested  in  the  story  told  by  the  youth,  and 
was  astonished  beyond  measure  to  learn  that 
both  had  taken  the  same  route,  one  actually 
passing  the  other  without  either  suspecting  it. 
On  his  part,  Hazletine  related  all  that  he  had 
passed  through,  and  explained  the  reason  of 
his  ascent  of  the  canyon  some  time  before, 
when  he  was  observed  by  the  wondering  lads. 
Meanwhile,  where  was  Fred  Greenwood  ? 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  343 


CHAPTEK  XIX. 

INTO    THE    CAVERN. 

HANK  HAZLETINE  and  Jack  Dudley 
having  failed  to  find  the  missing  Fred 
Greenwood,  let  us  try  our  hand  at  the  task. 

Going  back  to  that  afternoon  when  the 
elder  youth  from  his  concealment  on  the 
crest  of  the  ridge  fired  down  into  the  little 
herd  of  antelope  grazing  in  the  valley  in  front 
of  him,  and  secured  a  supper  for  the  two,  it 
will  be  remembered  that  Fred  had  started 
along  the  side  of  the  valley,  with  a  view  of 
placing  himself  beyond  the  game  and  render 
ing  the  success  of  himself  and  friend  certain. 

He  never  dreamed  of  danger  to  himself. 
His  attention  was  fixed  upon  the  pretty  ani 
mals,  and,  hungry  as  he  was,  he  felt  a  sym 
pathy  for  them,  knowing  that  in  all  proba 
bility  one  of  the  number  would  be  sacrificed. 
Nevertheless,  he  put  forth  the  utmost  pains 


344  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

to  prevent  their  taking  alarm,  and  there  is 
hardly  a  doubt  that  he  would  have  succeeded 
in  his  purpose  but  for  the  catastrophe  which 
overtook  him  when  half  the  distance  had  been 
passed. 

Suddenly,  while  he  was  stealing  forward  in 
a  crouching  posture,  a  low,  threatening  voice 
reached  his  ear.  Only  the  single  word, 
"Stop!"  was  utterrd,  but  it  could  not  have 
startled  the  youth  more  than  the  whir  of  a 
rattlesnake  under  his  feet.  Before  he  could 
straighten  up  he  turned  his  head  like  a  flash. 
Not  a  rod  distant,  kneeling  upon  one  knee, 
was  Motoza,  the  Sioux,  with  his  Winchester 
aimed  at  him  ! 

Believing  that  he  would  press  the  trigger 
of  his  weapon  the  next  moment,  Fred  Green 
wood  was  transfixed.  He  could  only  look  at 
his  enemy  and  await  the  end.  He  was  with 
out  the  power  to  raise  a  finger  in  his  own 
defence. 

"  Drop  gun  !"  commanded  his  master.  The 
words  showed  the  lad  that  he  had  a  few  min 
utes  at  least  to  live,  but  the  "  drop  "  was  on 
him  and  he  promptly  obeyed. 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  345 

"  Drop  little  gun  !"  added  the  Sioux,  who 
never  wavered  in  keeping  his  rifle  pointed  at 
the  chest  of  the  young  man. 

Fred  withdrew  his  revolver  and  flung  it  at 
his  feet.  He  was  now  without  a  single  fire 
arm.  An  infant  could  not  have  been  more 
helpless. 

As  yet  he  had  not  spoken  a  word.  He  re 
called  the  warning  of  Jack  Dudley,  and  knew 
the  ferocious  hatred  this  vagrant  redskin  held 
toward  him.  To  appeal  for  mercy  would  de 
light  the  miscreant  and  not  aid  the  prisoner. 
He  tried  another  tack. 

"  What  do  you  want  with  me,  Motoza  ?" 

The  question  pleased  the  Sioux,  who,  partly 
lowering  his  rifle,  still  held  it  ready  for  in 
stant  use.  His  ugly  countenance  was  broken 
by  the  old  grin. 

"  Huh  !    You  call  Motoza  tief,  eh  ?" 

"  That's  what  I  called  you,  and  that's  what 
you  are !" 

"  Huh !     Me  kill  you  !" 

"  You  can  do  that  easily  enough,  but  you'll 
never  live  to  brag  about  it.  If  the  officers 
don't  hang  you,  Hank  Hazletine  will  make 


346  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

daylight   shine   through  your  hide  !     He  is 
only  waiting  for  an  excuse." 

"  White  man  dog — me  not  afraid — me  kill 
him  /"  said  the  Sioux,  with  a  dangerous  glit 
ter  in  his  snake-like  eyes. 

"  You  can't  do  it  too  soon.  But  what  are 
you  waiting  for  ?' 

Motoza  had  not  counted  upon  such  defiance; 
but  if  it  lessened  his  contempt  it  did  not  di 
minish  his  hate  nor  weaken  his  purpose. 

"  You  go ;  me  follow ;  me  point  rifle  if  you 
run  ;  if  you  call,  me  shoot !" 

"  Which  way  do  you  wish  me  to  travel  ?" 

The  Sioux  pointed  toward  the  bend  in  the 
valley  for  which  Fred  was  making  when 
checked  in  this  peremptory  manner.  To 
obey  was  to  take  him  further  from  his  com 
rade,  but  he  obeyed. 

As  he  moved  off,  Motoza  picked  up  the  two 
weapons  from  the  ground,  thrusting  the  re 
volver  into  the  girdle  at  his  waist,  while  he 
carried  the  Winchester  in  his  other  hand. 
Fred  heard  him  a  few  paces  in  the  rear,  as 
well  as  the  repetition  of  his  threats  to  fire  on 
the  least  attempt  of  the  prisoner  to  regain 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  347 

his  freedom  or  to  attract  the  attention  of  his 
friends. 

The  youth  never  doubted  that  he  would 
carry  out  this  threat,  and  he  would  have 
been  a  zany  to  draw  the  explosion  of  wrath. 
He  walked  forward  and  did  his  best  to  obey 
the  orders  of  his  enemy  in  spirit  and  letter. 

The  young  man  thought  intently.  The 
shock  of  the  belief  that  instant  death  impended 
was  somewhat  softened  by  the  knowledge  that 
the  crisis  was  deferred  for  a  time  at  least, 
though  it  was  impossible  to  guess  for  how 
long. 

What  was  the  ultimate  intention  of  the 
Sioux  ?  It  seemed  probable  to  Fred  that  he 
was  afraid  to  slay  him  at  the  spot  of  capture, 
since  the  body  would  be  sure  of  discovery  by 
his  friends,  with  a  good  chance  of  learning 
the  identity  of  the  assassin.  What  more 
likely,  therefore,  than  that  he  was  conducting 
him  to  some  remote  place,  where  his  body 
would  never  be  found  ? 

It  was  not  natural  that  an  active,  sturdy 
youth  like  Fred  Greenwood  should  submit  to 
be  led  thus  meekly  to  slaughter,  but  in  what 


348  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

possible  way  could  he  help  himself?  If  he 
wheeled  about  to  assail  the  buck  he  was  with 
out  a  single  weapon,  while  the  Sioux  was 
doubly  armed.  A  glance  over  his  shoulder 
showed  his  enemy  almost  within  arm's  reach. 

Not  the  least  trying  feature  of  this  extra 
ordinary  proceeding  was  that  Fred  had  to 
hear  the  report  of  Jack  Dudley's  rifle,  fol 
lowed  by  his  shouts,  which  plainly  reached 
the  ears  of  the  one  who  dared  make  no  reply. 
He  could  only  continue  walking  until  the 
bend  in  the  valley  was  passed,  when  a  change 
of  direction  took  place. 

It  was  no  longer  necessary  to  conceal  them 
selves  from  observation,  for  there  was  no  one 
to  be  feared.  From  the  facts  that  afterward 
came  to  light  there  is  little  doubt  that  Tozer 
and  Motoza  had  held  a  conference  previous 
to  the  capture  and  fixed  upon  a  definite  line 
of  procedure,  for  otherwise  it  is  not  conceiv 
able  that  the  Sioux  would  have  spared  the 
life  of  his  captive. 

With  numerous  turnings,  and  with  the 
sounds  of  Jack  Dudley's  shouts  and  firing 
faintly  reaching  his  ears,  young  Greenwood 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  349 

continued  marching  in  front  of  his  captor 
long  after  the  sun  had  set  and  night  closed 
in.  He  had  lost  all  idea  of  the  points  of  the 
compass,  but  the  fact  that  the  tramp  contin 
ued  and  that  no  harm  was  done  him  inspired 
the  prisoner  with  a  degree  of  hope  that  was 
altogether  lacking  at  the  opening  of  his 
strange  adventure. 

Suddenly  a  roaring  noise  struck  him,  and  a 
short  distance  further  he  reached  the  break 
in  the  canyon  with  which  he  had  become 
familiar.  This  enabled  him  to  locate  himself, 
and  he  looked  around  to  learn  the  further 
wishes  of  his  master.  From  the  moment  of 
starting  Fred  had  been  on  the  alert  for  a  chance 
to  make  a  break  for  liberty,  but  none  occurred. 
The  Sioux  was  too  vigilant  to  tempt  him. 

The  long  immunity  from  harm  had  given 
the  lad  a  certain  self-assurance.  As  yet  he 
had  formed  no  suspicion  of  the  real  purpose 
of  the  Sioux,  but,  somehow  or  other,  he  be 
lieved  his  own  death  was  not  likely  to  be  at 
tempted  for  a  number  of  hours  to  come. 

"  Well,  Motoza,  here  we  are  !  What's  the 
next  step  ?" 


350  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  Indian  raised  one  of  the  hands  grasp 
ing  a  Winchester  and  pointed  toward  the 
canyon. 

"Go  dere — jump  on  rock  !" 

"  My  gracious!  I  can't  do  that !" 

"  Den  me  kill !" 

As  if  angered  beyond  restraint,  he  made  a 
leap  toward  the  startled  youth,  who  recoiled 
a  step,  and,  esteeming  a  death  by  drowning 
preferable  to  the  one  which  threatened  him, 
made  haste  to  reply : 

"  All  right ;  I'll  try  it  " 

But  it  was  necessary  that  the  miscreant 
should  give  some  instructions  to  his  prisoner. 
These  were  simple.  He  was  to  leap  upon  the 
rock  nearest  to  shore,  and  then,  by  the  same 
means,  ascend  the  canyon  until  ordered  to 
stop.  From  what  has  already  been  related 
concerning  Jack  Dudley's  experience,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  task  was  difficult  and  dan 
gerous. 

There  was  no  choice,  however.  He  had 
gained  a  general  knowledge  of  the  canyon 
and  felt  almost  certain  he  would  be  overtaken 
by  accident ;  but  in  many  respects  his  expe- 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  351 

rience  was  so  similar  to  that  which  was  after 
ward  undergone  by  his  comrade  that  the  par 
ticulars  need  not  be  dwelt  upon.  He  found 
the  work  less  laborious  than  he  expected. 
The  Sioux  by  gesture  indicated  the  rocks, 
when  they  were  not  clear  to  the  boy,  who 
found  no  trouble  in  making  the  leaps.  In 
every  case  he  had  hardly  landed  when  the 
buck  dropped  lightly  at  his  side. 

A  desperate  scheme  was  half-formed  more 
than  once  while  this  singular  progress  was 
going  on.  It  was  purposely  to  miss  his  foot 
ing  and  allow  himself  to  be  carried  away  by 
the  tumultuous  torrent.  He  was  restrained 
by  two  good  reasons.  Motoza  was  likely  to 
seize  him  before  he  was  swept  beyond  reach, 
and  if  he  did  not  he  would  inevitably  drown. 
Accordingly,  Fred  kept  at  it  until  finally  they 
reached  the  ledge  up  which  Hank  Hazletine 
climbed  twenty-four  hours  later. 

By  this  time  a  suspicion  of  the  partial 
truth  had  penetrated  the  mind  of  Fred.  There 
must  be  some  cavity  in  the  rocks  where  his 
captor  meant  to  hold  him  for  awhile  as  pris 
oner.  The  plan  of  securing  a  large  ransom 


352  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

in  payment  for  his  freedom  was  not  dreamt 
of  by  the  youth.  No  one  would  think  of 
looking  in  this  place  for  him,  and  he  would 
be  secure  for  an  indefinite  period. 

Motoza  had  learned  several  things  from  his 
association  with  those  of  Caucasian  blood,  one 
of  which  was  that  a  rubber  match-safe  is  pre 
ferable  to  rubbing  two  dry  sticks  together 
when  in  need  of  fire,  or  using  the  old-fash 
ioned  steel  and  flint. 

He  managed  with  some  trouble  to  make 
Fred  understand  he  was  to  climb  up  the 
ledge,  and  he  followed  so  deftly  that  the  pris 
oner  was  given  no  chance  to  try  to  prevent 
him.  A  minute  after  they  stood  side  by  side, 
Motoza  struck  a  match,  and  his  captive  had  a 
glimpse  of  the  cavern  which  has  already  been 
described. 

Here,  then,  was  the  end  of  the  journey. 
This  was  to  be  the  prison  of  Fred  Greenwood 
until  when  ?  When  was  he  to  be  released,  or 
was  he  not  to  be  released  at  all  ? 

Passing  well  back  in  the  gloom  the  two 
sat  down,  so  far  removed  from  the  roar  and 
tumult  of  the  torrent  that  they  could  talk 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  353 

without  difficulty.  Fred  was  still  apprehensive 
of  some  sudden  violence  from  the  Sioux,  and, 
though  in  the  gloom  he  could  see  nothing  of 
him,  he  was  ready  to  make  the  best  struggle 
possible. 

"Am  I  to  stay  here,  Motoza?"  he  asked, 
raising  his  voice  to  a  high  pitch. 

Instead  of  replying  directly,  the  Indian 
asked : 

"  Huh  !  you  fader  hab  heap  money,  eh  ?" 

This  simple  question  revealed  the  whole 
plot  and  confirmed  the  statement  already 
made  that  the  scheme  for  holding  Fred  Green 
wood  for  ransom  by  his  relatives  was  arranged 
before  his  abduction  took  place. 

It  was  a  great  discovery  for  Fred  Green 
wood  to  make.  On  the  instant  nearly  all  his 
fears  vanished  and  his  heart  glowed  with 
hope.  This  being  remembered,  he  can  hardly 
be  blamed  for  drawing  matters  with  rather  a 
long  bow. 

"  Yes,"  he  made  haste  to  say,  "  my  father 
has  money;    a  hundred  times  more  than  I 
have,"  all  which  was  true  without  involving 
more  than  a  moderate  sum. 
23 


354  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  He  gib  heap  money  fur  you,  eh  ?" 

"  Of  course ;  I  come  high." 

"He  gib  thousand — gib  ten  thousand — 
hundred  thousand — million  dollar— eh  ?" 

"Well,  that's  a  pretty  good  sum;  I'm  afraid 
my  father  wouldn't  think  I  am  worth  as  much 
as  that;  but  there's  no  doubt,  Motoza,  he  will 
pay  you  a  good  price ;  is  it  your  plan  to  sell 
me  to  him  ?" 

The  Sioux  made  no  answer  to  this,  though 
Fred  repeated  the  question.  The  sullen  si 
lence  of  the  Indian  brought  back  the  misgiv 
ings  of  the  captive.  He  could  not  doubt  that 
he  had  been  abducted  with  a  view  of  being 
ransomed,  but  it  was  impossible  to  credit  Mo 
toza  with  the  whole  scheme.  He  must  have 
allies,  and,  knowing  nothing  of  Bill  Tozer, 
Fred  suspected  that  a  half-dozen  vagrant  In 
dians,  more  or  less,  were  engaged  in  it,  though 
it  seemed  singular  that  no  one  else  had  shown 
himself  thus  far. 

Although  the  prisoner  had  been  in  better 
spirits  than  would  be  suspected,  his  situation 
was  uncomfortable  and  he  lost  hope  with  the 
passage  of  the  hours.  Motoza  refused  to  hold 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  355 

any  further  conversation,  and  was  evidently 
brooding  over  something  of  an  unpleasant  na 
ture.  By  and  by  he  lit  his  pipe  and  silently 
puffed.  He  was  sitting  on  the  flinty  floor, 
with  his  back  against  the  side  of  the  cavern 
and  his  legs  thrust  out  in  front  of  him. 

Now  and  then,  when  he  drew  a  little  harder 
on  the  pipe,  the  glow  in  the  bowl  revealed  the 
tip  of  his  nose,  a  part  of  the  painted  forehead, 
and  the  glittering  black  eyes.  It  was  a  grue 
some  picture,  for,  even  when  he  was  invisible, 
it  seemed  to  Fred  he  could  see  the  gleam  of 
those  eyes  fixed  upon  him. 

"Now,  I  know  he  hates  me  beyond  ex 
pression,"  mused  the  youth,  "and  nothing 
would  delight  him  more  than  to  torture  me  to 
death.  If  he  agrees  to  give  me  my  liberty, 
it  will  be  just  like  him  to  kill  me  as  soon  as 
he  gets  the  money  which  father  will  gladly 
pay  for  my  safety." 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  trend  of  Fred's 
thoughts  was  similar  to  those  of  Hank  Hazle- 
tine,  when  considering  the  same  matter. 
Whatever  project  might  be  in  the  minds  of 
others,  the  youth  would  be  in  danger  so  long 


356  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

as  he  was  in  the  power  of  the  wretch  whom 
he  had  unpardonably  insulted. 

Naturally,  Fred  had  asked  himself  more 
than  once  whether  it  was  possible  for  him  to 
make  his  escape  from  the  cavern.  It  was  out 
of  the  question  so  long  as  the  Sioux  was  his 
companion,  but  if  he  should  leave  him  alone, 
even  for  a  short  time,  the  youth  was  resolved 
to  make  the  attempt. 

These  and  similar  thoughts  were  chasing 
one  another  through  his  brain  when  he  fell 
asleep.  He  was  very  tired  from  his  long 
tramp  and  did  not  open  his  eyes  until  the 
faint  light  of  morning  penetrated  his  prison. 
He  had  not  forgotten  to  wind  his  watch,  and 
when  he  looked  at  it  he  saw  to  his  astonish 
ment  that  it  was  nearly  eight  o'clock.  He 
had  slept  for  more  than  ten  hours. 

The  next  cause  of  his  surprise  was  to  find 
he  was  alone.  Motoza  had  left  while  he  was 
asleep,  though  how  long  previous  it  was  im 
possible  to  guess.  But  the  hunger  which 
Fred  Greenwood  had  felt  on  more  than  one 
previous  occasion  was  as  naught  compared  to 
the  ravenous  appetite  that  now  had  possession 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  357 

of  him.  It  was  a  long  time  since  he  had 
eaten,  and  it  looked  as  if  it  would  be  a  long 
time  before  he  ate  again.  There  was  abso 
lutely  nothing  in  the  cavern  beside  himself. 
He  felt  in  his  pockets  in  the  weak  hope  of 
finding  a  forgotten  fish-hook  that  could  be 
used,  though  he  possessed  nothing  in  the  na 
ture  of  bait;  but,  inasmuch  as  he  had  not 
brought  a  hook  with  him,  it  would  not  do  to 
say  he  succeeded  in  his  search,  though  he 
displaced  the  piece  of  writing-paper  afterward 
found  by  his  friend. 

Forcing  all  thought  of  food  from  him  for 
the  time,  he  asked  why,  now  that  his  gaoler 
was  absent,  he  should  not  pick  his  way  down 
the  canyon  and  make  a  break  for  liberty. 
At  the  same  time  he  could  not  forget  that  one 
of  the  most  improbable  acts  of  the  Sioux 
would  be  to  give  him  any  chance  at  all  to  es 
cape. 

It  was  more  than  likely  that  Motoza  had 
laid  the  temptation  in  his  way,  that  it  might 
serve  him  as  a  pretext  for  shooting  his  pris 
oner.  Fred  resolved,  therefore,  to  be  careful 
in  all  that  he  did.  The  necessity  of  drinking 


358  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

and  bathing  his  face  was  his  excuse  for  walk 
ing  out  to  the  border  of  the  ledge  and  letting 
himself  down  to  the  rock  underneath.  There 
he  dipped  up  what  water  he  needed  in  the  palms 
of  his  hands,  and  while  doing  so  scanned  every 
part  of  the  canyon  in  his  field  of  vision. 

He  noted  the  narrow  strip  of  sky  far  aloft, 
the  tumbling  waters  above  and  below  where 
he  stood,  the  black  boulders  protruding  their 
heads  above  the  torrent  which  flung  itself 
fiercely  against  them,  the  craggy  walls  of  the 
canyon,  but  nowhere  did  he  catch  sight  of 
the  Sioux  who  had  brought  him  hither.  None 
the  less,  Fred  felt  so  certain  his  black  eyes 
were  watching  him  from  some  hidden  point 
that  he  did  not  yield  to  the  temptation  to 
leap  to  the  nearest  boulder  and  start  on  his 
flight  for  liberty.  Instead,  he  grasped  the 
margin  of  the  ledge  and  drew  himself  up  to 
his  former  place. 

There,  however,  he  paused  with  folded 
arms  and  surveyed  the  strange  scene  more 
leisurely  than  before.  He  was  anxious  to 
discover  the  Sioux  if  anywhere  in  sight,  but 
the  fellow  did  not  show  himself. 


INTO  THE  CAVEKN.  359 

The  roar  of  the  canyon  had  been  in  his  ears 
so  long  that  it  seemed  like  silence,  and  it  had 
lulled  him  to  sleep  hours  before.  He  was  still 
suffering  from  hunger  and  longed  for  the  re 
turn  of  his  captor,  for  he  thought  he  would 
bring  food  with  him. 

Providentially  the  lad  had  stood  in  this 
position  but  a  short  time  when  he  looked 
aloft  toward  the  sky.  At  the  moment  of 
doing  so  he  uttered  an  exclamation  of  affright 
and  leaped  back  into  the  mouth  of  the  cavern. 
The  next  instant  a  boulder  that  must  have 
weighed  a  ton  crashed  upon  the  ledge  where 
he  had  been  standing,  splintered  off  a  number 
of  pieces,  and  plunged  into  the  torrent  below. 

Fred  did  not  try  to  make  himself  believe 
that  the  falling  of  this  mass  of  stone  was  an 
accident.  Motoza  or  one  of  his  allies  had 
been  on  the  watch  above  for  the  appearance 
of  the  youth,  and  when  the  boulder  had  been 
adjusted  as  well  as  possible  it  was  tumbled 
over  into  the  canyon.  Had  Fred  remained 
on  the  spot  a  few  moments  longer  he  would 
have  been  crushed  like  an  insect  under  the 
wheel  of  a  steam-engine. 


360  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

It  was  a  startling  occurrence,  and  in  his 
weakened  condition  made  him  so  faint  that 
he  withdrew  still  further  into  the  cavern  and 
sat  down,  trembling  like  a  leaf.  His  hunger 
had  vanished  and  hope  almost  departed. 

"It  will  not  do  for  me  to  leave  the  cavern 
in  the  daytime,  for  he  is  waiting  for  me  to  do 
so.  I  can't  do  it  at  night  without  some  one 
to  guide  me.  He  means  to  keep  me  here  un 
til  I  die  of  starvation." 

Fred  had  come  really  to  believe  this.  He 
knew  enough  of  Indian  nature  to  understand 
that  the  race  rarely  inflict  instant  death  upon 
an  enemy  when  it  is  in  their  power  to  subject 
him  to  torture  or  slay  in  some  horrible  fash 
ion.  Motoza  had  not  slain  him  before  be 
cause  he  was  unwilling  that  the  one  whom  he 
hated  so  intensely  should  receive  such  mercy. 
It  would  be  a  hundredfold  sweeter  to  the 
Sioux  to  see  his  prisoner  dying  by  inches. 

"  If  he  has  a  plan  for  making  father  pay  a 
ransom  for  me  it  will  take  a  number  of  days  to 
bring  the  thing  to  an  end.  During  all  that  time 
•I  am  to  be  left  without  a  morsel  of  food;  he 
would  deprive  me  of  water,  too,  if.  he  could." 


INTO  THE  CAVERN.  361 

It  was  a  shocking  conclusion  to  form,  but 
the  usually  clear-headed  boy  became  con 
vinced  he  was  right. 

"  Poor  Jack  must  be  worried  almost  to 
death,"  he  murmured,  sitting  on  the  stones 
and  giving  rein  to  his  fancies ;  "  he  will  know 
that  something  has  gone  wrong  with  me, 
but  he  can  never  know  what  it  was.  Hank 
will  lay  it  to  Motoza,  for  he  has  said  there  is 
nothing  too  wicked  for  him  to  do,  but  the 
cowman  has  no  way  of  finding  what  has  be 
come  of  me,  and  he  can't  make  Motoza  tell 
him.  He  and  Jack  may  hunt  for  weeks  with 
out  suspecting  where  I  am." 

In  this  declaration  Fred  Greenwood,  as  is 
known,  was  not  quite  correct,  though  the 
search  of  his  friends  was  fruitless. 


362  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A    CLIMB    FOE,    LIBERTY. 

A  YOUTH  in  the  situation  of  Fred  Green 
wood  cannot  reason  clearly,  even  though 
he  be  right  in  his  main  conclusions.  He  had 
settled  into  the  belief  that  Motoza,  the  Sioux, 
had  determined  to  subject  him  to  a  lingering 
death  through  starvation ;  and  yet  if  it  were 
he — as  undoubtedly  it  was — who  rolled  the 
boulder  into  the  canyon,  it  indicated  a  wish 
to  put  the  most  sudden  end  possible  to  his 
existence. 

It  would  be  painful  to  attempt  to  describe 
the  experience  of  the  lad  in  the  cavern  at 
the  side  of  the  canyon.  As  is  often  the  case, 
his  hunger  diminished  and  was  succeeded  by 
a  dull  indifference,  in  which  the  suffering  of 
the  mind  outweighed  that  of  the  body.  The 
dreadful  day  at  last  drew  to  an  end,  and  his 
situation  and  condition  were  much  the  same 


A  CLIMB  FOR  LIBERTY.  363 

as  earlier  in  the  forenoon.  He  had  not  seen 
a  living  person,  and  had  given  over  all  hope 
of  another  visit  from  his  merciless  enemy. 

"  He  means  that  I  shall  perish  for  want  of 
food,  and  there  is  no  help  for  it." 

But  with  the  coming  of  darkness  the  energy 
of  the  boy's  nature  asserted  itself.  It  was 
impossible  now  for  the  Sioux  or  his  allies  to 
maintain  a  watch  upon  the  mouth  of  the 
cavern,  where  the  lad  was  observed  the  mo 
ment  he  showed  himself,  and  Fred  determined 
that  as  soon  as  it  was  fairly  dark  he  would 
make  an  attempt  that  should  be  crowned  with 
success  or  that  would  end  his  sufferings  and 
wretchedness. 

His  plan  was  to  let  himself  down  from  the 
ledge  to  the  top  of  the  nearest  rock,  and  then 
try  to  reach'  the  break  in  the  canyon  as  he 
had  ascended  it  under  the  guidance  of  his 
captor.  It  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  the 
vigilant  Motoza  would  leave  the  way  open  for 
him,  though  his  actions  pointed  to  the  belief 
that  it  was  utterly  impossible  for  the  prisoner 
to  escape  by  that  means. 

Nor  in  truth  was  it  possible,  for  in  the  im- 


364  TWO  BOYS  Itf  WYOMING. 

penetrable  gloom  he  was  certain  to  miss  his 
foothold  sooner  or  later  and  be  flung  into  the 
torrent,  with  no  possibility  of  the  good  fortune 
that  attended  Jack  Dudley,  who  had  a  much 
less  distance  to  traverse. 

It  was  yet  early  in  the  evening  when  Fred 
came  once  more  and  for  the  last  time  to  the 
front  of  the  cavern.  With  that  attention  to 
trifling  matters  which  a  person  sometimes 
shows  in  the  most  trying  crises  he  wound  up 
his  watch,  examined  his  clothing  to  see  that 
everything  was  right,  adjusted  his  hat  so  that 
it  was  not  likely  to  be  displaced,  and  looked 
out  in  the  gloom.  All  that  he  could  see  was 
when  he  gazed  upward  and  observed  a  few 
stars  twinkling  in  the  thin  streak  of  sky. 

"Two  things  are  certain,"  he  mused:  "that 
Indian  does  not  think  it  possible  for  me  to 
make  my  way  out  of  the  canyon ;  and,  if  I 
should  succeed,  he  will  be  on  the  watch  for 
me  and  shoot  or  try  to  force  me  to  return. 
He  shall  never  get  me  back  here,  for  I  will 
take  the  risk  of  drowning,  and  then " 

A  thought  flashed  through  him  like  an  in 
spiration  and  fairly  took  away  his  breath. 


A  CLIMB  FOE  LIBERTY.  365 

Why  not  climb  the  side  of  the  canyon  ? 

He  was  so  overcome  by  the  question,  which 
seemed  born  of  heaven,  that  he  stood  dazed 
and  bewildered.  Then  he  became  cool  again 
and  asked : 

" Is  it  possible?" 

He  recalled  that  Hank  Hazletine  had  told 
him  he  had  done  it  during  the  daytime,  and  it 
must  have  been  somewhere  in  this  neighbor- 

o 

hood.  The  task  would  seem  easy  if  the  sun  were 
shining,  but  if  it  were  shining  Fred  Green 
wood  would  not  have  been  permitted  to  make 
the  attempt. 

He  was  convinced  of  another  thing :  the 
depth  of  the  canyon  had  been  repeatedly  re 
ferred  to  as  being  a  thousand  feet,  but  there 
were  places  where  it  was  less  than  half  that 
extent,  and  he  remembered  a  depression  in 
the  earth,  almost  directly  overhead,  which 
must  have  lessened  the  prodigious  height 
found  at  other  points. 

Nevertheless,  a  climb  of  several  hundred 
feet  up  the  perpendicular  side  of  a  canyon  or 
mountain  wall  is  severe  work  to  the  most 
powerful  and  best  trained  man,  and  its  formid- 


366  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

able  nature  was  proved  by  the  fact  that  some 
of  the  cowmen  would  not  try  it  by  daylight. 

Nothing  could  be  clearer  than  that  Motoza 
had  not  hesitated  to  leave  his  prisoner  alone 
in  the  cavern  for  the  reason  that  he  was  cer 
tain  he  could  ^not  effect  his  escape  therefrom. 
The  last  means  the  youth  would  think  of  em 
ploying  was  that  of  climbing  the  side ;  there 
fore,  as  Fred  reasoned,  that  was  the  very 
means  to  adopt,  and  the  only  one  that  could 
possibly  succeed. 

"  I'll  try  it !"  was  his  conclusion,  after  a 
few  minutes'  thought. 

Before  setting  out  on  the  unparalleled  task 
he  fervently  asked  the  help  of  the  only  One 
who  could  extricate  him  from  his  peril.  Then 
he  summoned  his  strength  and  courage  to  the 
tremendous  work. 

His  dread  now  was  that  Motoza  would  put 
in  an  appearance  before  he  was  clear  of  the 
mouth  of  the  cavern.  Had  the  lad  thought 
of  the  daring  scheme  earlier  in  the  day  he 
would  have  studied  the  stupendous  stairs  upon 
which  all  his  hopes  now  rested,  but  it  was  too 
late  to  think  of  that. 


A  CLIMB  FOE  LIBERTY.  367 

Reaching  upward,  he  grasped  one  of  the 
projecting  points  of  rock  and  drew  himself 
clear  of  the  opening  in  front  of  the  cavern. 
Naturally  muscular  and  active,  with  all  his 
nerves  in  superb  control,  the  effort  was  tri 
fling.  Within  less  time  than  would  be  sup 
posed  he  had  climbed  fully  fifty  feet  without 
meeting  with  any  difficulty.  Then  the  first 
thrill  of  alarm  shot  through  him  as  one  foot 
slipped  and  he  narrowly  missed  falling. 

He  found  a  good  place  to  rest,  and  immedi 
ately  adopted  a  sensible  precaution.  Remov 
ing  both  shoes,  he  tied  the  strings  together 
and  slung  them  over  his  shoulder,  with  the 
fastening  under  his  chin.  This  would  make 
it  rough  for  his  stockinged  feet,  but  it  was 
worth  it  all.  He  was  not  discommoded  by 
rifle  or  pistol,  and  could  not  have  been  better 
prepared  for  climbing. 

He  felt  as  yet  no  fatigue,  and  resumed  his 
work  as  soon  as  he  was  ready.  If  he  con 
tinued  to  find  projections  such  as  he  had  found 
thus  far,  there  was  no  reason  why  he  should 
not  reach  the  level  ground  above  in  safety. 
As  an  evidence  of  how  fate  sometimes  plays 


368  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

£ast  and  loose  with  us,  it  is  certain  that  Hank 
Hazletine  entered  the  cavern  while  his  young 
friend  was  climbing  the  wall  overhead,  with 
out  either  dreaming  of  the  actual  situation. 

Fred  Greenwood,  at  the  beginning  of  bis 
climb  for  liberty,  was  subjected  to  a  peculiar 
peril.  He  had  rested  but  a  moment,  when  he 
was  seized  with  an  extraordinary  "  panicky" 
feeling.  He  was  sure  that  Motoza  was  stand 
ing  on  the  ledge  below,  peering  upward  in  the 
gloom,  and  holding  his  rifle  ready  to  fire  at 
him  on  the  instant  he  could  make  his  aim 
certain. 

Like  all  such  emotions,  it  was  opposed  to 
common  sense.  According  to  his  belief  it 
was  out  of  the  power  of  the  Sioux  to  obtain 
the  most  shadowy  glimpse  of  him,  and  the 
youth  ought  to  have  felt  as  secure  against  be 
ing  picked  off  as  if  in  his  home,  hundreds  of 
miles  away ;  but  the  feeling  for  a  time  was 
uncontrollable,  and,  yielding  to  it,  he  began 
frantically  climbing,  never  abating  his  efforts 
until  he  had  gone  fully  fifty  feet  higher.  By 
that  time  he  was  all  a-tremble,  and  so  weak 
that  he  was  forced  to  pause  for  rest.  Thus 


A  CLIMB  FOR  LIBERTY.  369 

far  he  had  been  extremely  fortunate  in  meet 
ing  with  no  difficulty,  the  projections  afford 
ing  abundant  support  for  hands  and  feet. 
Moreover,  he  had  again  attained  a  ledge 
where  he  was  able  to  sustain  himself  with 
comparative  ease. 

He  paused,  panting,  trembling  and  ex 
hausted.  Thrusting  out  his  head  as  far  as 
was  safe,  he  looked  downward.  Nothing  but 
impenetrable  gloom  met  his  eye.  He  could 
hear  the  torrent  rushing  against  the  rocks 
and  boulders  in  its  path,  and  flinging  itself 
against  the  walls  of  the  canyon,  but  he  could 
distinguish  nothing,  and  his  strong  sense  now 
came  to  his  rescue. 

"  If  he  is  down  there  he  cannot  see  me ;  he 
will  not  dream  I  have  started  to  climb  the 
wall,  and  therefore  will  not  follow.  If  he 
does,  he  must  appear  below  me,  and  I  will 
kick  him  loose  the  minute  I  see  him.  How 
foolish  to  be  afraid  !" 

In  a  few  minutes  his  nerves  became  calmer, 
but  he  began  to  realize  the  nature  of  the  ter 
rifying  task  before  him.  There  was  no 
thought  of  retreat  on  his  part,  and  he  was 

24 


370  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

determined  to  keep  on,  so  long  as  the  work 
was  possible. 

His  feet  were  paining  him,  and  were  certain 
to  pain  him  a  good  deal  more  before  he  reached 
the  top ;  but  healthy,  rugged  youth  has  elastic 
muscles,  arid  in  a  short  time  Fred  was  ready 
to  resume  his  work.  His  panic  was  gone,  and 
he  exerted  himself  with  the  deliberate  care 
which  he  should  have  shown  from  the  first. 

As  nearly  as  he  could  judge  he  had  climbed 
some  twenty  paces,  when  he  was  startled, 
upon  extending  his  hand  upward,  to  encounter 
only  the  smooth  face,  of  the  wall.  Hitherto 
there  had  been  more  projections  than  he  re 
quired,  but  now  the  steps  appeared  to  vanish, 
leaving  him  without  any  support. 

Could  it  be  he  would  have  to  abandon  his 
effort  after  making  so  fine  a  start  ?  Must  he 
pick  his  way  down  the  side  of  the  canyon, 
again,  to  the  cavern,  and  there  meekly  resume 
the  torture  of  waiting  for  death  from  starva 
tion  ?  Failure  was  too  terrible  to  be  thought 
of,  and  he  resumed  his  searching  for  the  in 
dispensable  support. 

Certainly  there  was  nothing  directly  above 


A  CLIMB  FOR  LIBERTY.  371 

him  that  would  serve,  and  he  passed  his  right 
hand  to  one  side.  Ah  !  he  caught  the  sharp 
edge,  after  groping  for  a  few  seconds.  Lean 
ing  over,  he  reached  out  as  far  as  possible  and 
found  the  projection  extended  indefinitely. 

"  It  will  do !"  he  muttered,  with  a  thrill, 
and,  without  pausing  to  reflect  upon  the  fear 
ful  risk  of  the  thing,  he  swung  himself  along, 
sustained  for  an  instant  by  his  single  hand ; 
but  the  other  was  immediately  alongside  of  it, 
and  it  was  easy  to  hold  himself  like  a  pen 
dulum"  swaying  over  the  frightful  abyss.  But 
there  was  nothing  upon  which  to  rest  his  feet. 
He  did  not  wish  anything,  and,  swinging  side 
ways,  threw  one  leg  over  the  ledge  beside  his 
hands,  and,  half-rolling  over,  raised  himself 
securely  for  the  time  on  his  perch. 

"  Gracious !"  he  exclaimed,  pausing  from 
the  effort ;  "  if  I  had  stopped  to  think,  I 
shouldn't  have  dared  to  try  it.  If  this  ledge 
had  been  smaller  I  shouldn't  have  found 
room  for  my  body,  and  there  is  no  way  of 
getting  back  to  the  stone  on  which  I  was 
standing.  I  must  go  on  now,  for  I  cannot  go 
back." 


372  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

It  was  plain  sailing  for  a  few  minutes.  The 
flinty  excrescences  were  as  numerous  as  ever, 
and  he  never  paused  in  his  ascent  until  pru 
dence  whispered  that  it  was  wise  to  take  an 
other  breathing  spell.  It  was  a  source  of  in 
finite  comfort  to  feel  that  when  he  thus 
checked  himself  he  was  not  compelled  to  do 
so  for  lack  of  support. 

There  was  no  way  of  determining  how  far 
he  had  climbed,  and  he  based  his  calculation 
on  hope  rather  than  knowledge.  The  roar 
of  the  canyon  was  notably  fainter,  and,  when 
he  looked  aloft,  the  ribbon  of  starlit  sky  ap 
peared  nearer  than  at  first.  There  could  be 
no  doubt  that  he  was  making  his  ascent  at  the 
most  favorable  point,  for  the  height  was  much 
less  than  at  most  of  the  other  places,  and  he 
believed  this  was  the  portion  where  Hank 
Hazletine  had  climbed  from  the  bottom  to  the 
top  of  the  gorge.  Could  he  have  been  cer 
tain  of  the  latter,  all  misgiving  would  have 
vanished. 

Not  a  trace  of  his  panic  remained.  If  Mo- 
toza  had  returned  to  the  cavern,  and,  discov 
ering  the  flight  of  his  prisoner,  set  out  to 


A  CLIMB  FOR  LIBERTY.  373 

follow  him,  there  was  little  prospect  of  his 
success,  for  the  fugitive  had  varied  from  a 
direct  line,  and  the  Sioux  might  pass  within 
arm's  length  without  being  aware  of  the  fact 

There  was  one  peril  to  which  Fred  was 
exposed,  and  it  was  fortunate  it  never  entered 
his  mind.  Supposing  Motoza  was  standing  on 
the  ledge  at  the  bottom  of  the  canyon  and 
gazing  upward,  weapon  in  hand,  it  was  quite 
probable  that  he  would  be  able  to  locate  the 
youth.  This  would  be  not  because  of  any 
superiority  of  vision,  but  because  of  that  patch 
of  sky  beyond,  acting  as  a  background  for  the 
climber.  With  his  inky  figure  thrown  in 
relief  against  the  stars,  his  enemy  could  have 
picked  him  off  as  readily  as  if  the  sun  were 
shining. 

This  possibility,  we  say,  did  not  present 
itself  to  Fred  Greenwood,  and,  more  provi 
dential  than  all,  Motoza  was  not  in  the  can 
yon. 

The  slipping  of  one  foot  tore  most  of  the 
sole  from  the  stocking,  and  his  foot  had  hence 
forth  no  protection  against  the  craggy  surface. 

"  I  don't  mind  the  stocking,"  grimly  re- 


374  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

fleeted  the  youth,  "  for  there  is  another  pair 
in  camp  and  plenty  of  them  at  the  ranch, 
but  how  it  hurts !" 

He  would  have  been  altogether  lacking  in 
the  pluck  he  had  displayed  thus  far  had  he 
been  deterred  by  physical  suffering  from 
pushing  his  efforts  to  the  utmost.  He  would 
have  kept  on  through  torture  tenfold  worse, 
and  he  showed  himself  no  mercy. 

Few  people  who  have  not  been  called  upon 
to  undertake  such  a  work  can  form  an  idea 
of  its  exhausting  nature.  It  would  be  hard 
to  think  of  anyone  better  prepared  than  Fred 
Greenwood  to  stand  the  terrific  draught  upon 
his  strength ;  but  while  a  long  way  from  the 
top,  and  while  there  was  no  lack  of  supports 
for  his  hands  and  feet,  and  in  the  face  of  his 
unshakable  resolve,  he  was  compelled  to  doubt 
his  success.  It  seemed  as  if  the  dizzy  height 
did  not  diminish.  When  he  had  climbed  for 
a  long  time  and  stopped,  panting  and  suffering, 
the  stars  appeared  to  be  as  far  away  as  ever. 
He  felt  as  if  he  ought  to  have  been  out  of  the 
ravine  long  before,  but  the  opening  looked  to 
be  as  unattainable  as  at  the  beginning. 


A  CLIMB  FOR  LIBERTY.  375 

His  whole  experience  was  remarkable  to 
that  extent  that  it  can  be  explained  only  on 
the  ground  that  the  intense  mental  strain 
prevented  his  seeing  things  as  they  were.  He 
had  subjected  his  muscles  to  such  a  tension 
that  he  was  obliged  to  pause  every  few  min 
utes  and  rest.  One  of  his  feet  was  scarified 
and  bleeding,  and  the  other  only  a  little  bet 
ter.  When  he  looked  upward  his  heart  sank, 
for  a  long  distance  still  interposed  between 
him  and  the  ground  above. 

"  I  must  have  picked  the  place  where  the 
canyon  is  deepest/'  was  his  despairing  conclu 
sion  ;  "  I  feel  hardly  able  to  hang  on,  and 
would  not  dare  do  what  I  did  further  be- 
low." 

He  now  yielded  to  a  curious  whim.  Instead 
of  continually  gazing  at  the  sky,  that  he 
might  measure  the  distance  remaining  to  be 

o  o 

traversed,  he  resolved  not  to  look  at  it  at  all 
until  he  had  climbed  a  long  way.  He  hoped 
by  doing  this  to  discover  such  a  marked  de 
crease  in  the  space  that  it  would  reanimate 
him  for  the  remaining  work. 

Accordingly  he  closed  his  eyes,  and,  de- 


376  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

pending  on  the  sense  of  feeling  alone,  which 
in  truth  was  his  reliance  from  the  first,  he 
toiled  steadily  upward.  Sometimes  he  had  to 
grope  with  his  hands  for  a  minute  or  two  be 
fore  daring  to  leave  the  support  on  which  his 
feet  rested,  but  one  of  his  causes  for  astonish 
ment  and  thankfulness  was  that  such  aids 
seemed  never  to  be  lacking. 

He  continued  this  blind  progress  until  his 
wearied  muscles  refused  to  obey  further.  He 
must  rest  or  he  would  drop  to  the  bottom 
from  exhaustion.  He  hooked  his  right  arm 
over  the  point  of  a  rock,  sat  upon  a  favoring 
projection  below,  and  decided  to  wait  until  his 
strength  was  fully  restored. 

He  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  look 
up  and  learn  how  much  yet  remained  to  do. 

Could  he  believe  his  senses?  He  was 
within  a  dozen  feet  of  the  top ! 

He  gasped  with  amazement,  grew  faint,  and 
then  was  thrilled  with  hope.  He  even  broke 
into  a  cheer,  for  the  knowledge  was  like  nec 
tar  to  the  traveller  perishing  of  thirst  in  the 
desert — it  was  life  itself. 

All   pain,  all    suffering,  all   fatigue   were 


A  CLIMB  FOR  LIBEETY.  377 

forgotten  in  the  blissful  knowledge.  He  bent 
to  his  work  with  redoubled  vigor.  If  the 
supports  continued,  his  stupendous  task  was 
virtually  ended. 

And  they  did  continue.  Not  once  did  the 
eagerly-feeling  hands  fail  to  grasp  a  projec 
tion  of  some  form  which  could  be  made  to 
serve  his  purpose.  Up,  up  he  went,  until  the 
clear,  cool  air  fanned  his  temples,  when,  with 
a  last  effort,  he  drew  himself  from  the  canyon, 
and,  plunging  forward  on  his  face,  fainted 
dead  away. 

He  lay  in  a  semi-conscious  condition  for 
nearly  an  hour.  Then,  when  his  senses  slowly 
returned,  he  raised  himself  to  a  sitting  posi 
tion  and  looked  around.  It  was  too  early  for 
the  moon,  and  the  gloom  prevented  his  seeing 
more  than  a  few  paces  in  any  direction. 

But  how  the  pain  racked  him  !  It  seemed 
as  if  every  bone  was  aching  and  every  muscle 
sore.  The  feet  had  been  wholly  worn  from 
each  stocking,  and  his  own  feet  were  torn  and 
bleeding.  He  had  preserved  his  shoes,  but 
when  he  came  to  put  them  on  he  groaned 
with  anguish.  His  feet  were  so  swollen  that 


378  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

it  was  torture  to  cover  them,  and  he  could  not 
tie  the  strings ;  but  they  must  be  protected, 
and  he  did  not  rise  until  they  were  thus 
armored. 

He  was  without  any  weapons,  but  the  tor 
ment  of  his  wounds  drove  that  fact  from  his 
mind.  All  that  he  wanted  now  was  to  get 
away  from  the  spot  where  he  could  not  help 
believing  he  was  still  in  danger  of  recapture. 
But  when  he  stood  erect  and  the  agony  shot 
through  his  frame,  he  asked  himself  whether 
it  was  possible  to  travel  to  the  plateau  with 
out  help ;  and  yet  the  effort  must  be  made. 

He  had  a  general  knowledge  of  his  situa 
tion,  and,  bracing  himself  for  the  effort,  he 
began  the  work.  It  was  torture  from  the 
first,  but  after  taking  a  few  steps  his  system 
partly  accommodated  itself  to  the  require 
ment  and  he  progressed  better  than  he  antici 
pated.  He  was  still  on  the  wrong  side  of  the 
canyon,  which  it  was  necessary  to  leave  before 
rejoining  his  friends.  He  was  wise  enough 
to  distrust  his  own  capacity  after  the  fearful 
strain,  and  did  not  make  the  attempt  until  he 
found  a  place  where  the  width  was  hardly 


A  CLIMB  FOB  LIBERTY.  379 

one-half  of  the  extent  leaped  by  him  and 
Jack  Dudley.  As  it  was,  the  jump,  into  which 
he  put  all  his  vigor,  landed  him  just  clear  of 
the  edge,  a  fact  which  did  much  to  lessen  the 
sharp  suffering  caused  by  alighting  on  his 
feet. 

He  yearned  to  sit  down  and  rest,  but  was 
restrained  by  the  certainty  that  it  would  make 
his  anguish  more  intense  when  he  resumed 
his  tramp  toward  camp.  Furthermore,  as  he 
believed  himself  nearing  safety,  his  impa 
tience  deepened  and  kept  him  at  work  when 
he  should  have  ceased. 

As  he  painfully  trudged  along,  his  thoughts 
reverted  to  his  climb  up  the  side  of  the  can 
yon  and  he  shuddered ;  for,  now  that  it  was 
over,  he  could  not  comprehend  how  he  dared 
ever  make  the  effort.  Not  for  the  world 
would  he  repeat  it,  even  by  daylight. 

"  Heaven  brought  me  safely  through,"  was 
his  grateful  thought. 

But  as  he  drew  near  the  plateau  his  mus 
ings  turned  thither.  He  had  counted  upon 
finding  Jack  Dudley  and  the  guide  there;  but 
they  might  be  miles  away,  and  he  would  not 


380  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

see  them  for  days.  He  knew  he  needed  at 
tention  from  his  friends  and  could  not  sustain 
himself  much  longer.  If  he  should  be  un 
able  to  find  them 

But  all  these  gloomy  forebodings  were  scat 
tered  a  few  minutes  later  by  the  glimmer  of 
the  camp-fire  on  the  other  side  of  the  plateau. 
One  of  his  friends  at  least  must  be  there,  and 
providentially  it  proved  that  both  were  pres 
ent. 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  381 


CHAPTEE  XXI. 

HOW    IT    ALL    ENDED. 

AT  last  the  clothing  of  Jack  Dudley  was 
dried,  and  he  felt  thoroughly  comfort 
able  in  body.  While  he  was  employed  in  the 
pleasant  task,  Hank  Hazletine  went  away  in 
quest  of  food.  It  took  time  and  hard  work 
to  find  it,  but  his  remarkable  skill  as  a  hunter 
enabled  him  to  do  so,  and  when  he  returned 
he  brought  enough  venison  to  serve  for  the 
evening  and  morning  meal.  No  professor  of 
the  culinary  art  could  have  prepared  the  meat 
more  excellently  than  he  over  the  bed  of  live 
coals.  The  odor  was  so  appetizing  that  the 
youth  was  in  misery  because  of  his  impa 
tience,  but  the  guide  would  not  let  him  touch 
a  mouthful  until  the  food  was  done  "  to  the 
queen's  taste."  Then  they  had  their  feast. 

And  yet  the  two  were  oppressed  by  thoughts 
of  the  absent  one.    The  attempts  of  his  friends 


382  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

during  the  clay  to  help  or  to  get  trace  of  Fred 
Greenwood  had  been  brought  to  naught,  and 
it  looked  as  if  they  would  have  to  consent  to 
the  humiliating  terms  of  Tozer  and  Motoza, 
with  strong  probability  that  the  missing 
youth  was  never  again  to  be  seen  alive. 

"  I  think,  Hank,"  said  Jack,  when  the  cow 
man  had  lit  his  pipe,  "  that  we  should  run  no 
more  risks." 

"  How  can  we  help  it  ?" 

"  When  you  meet  Tozer  to-morrow  morn 
ing  by  appointment,  tell  him  the  price  he  asks 
will  be  paid,  but  everything  must  be  square 
and  above  board." 

The  guide  looked  at  his  companion  a  mo 
ment  in  silence.  Then  he  said  : 

"  If  you'll  turn  the  matter  over  in  your 
mind,  younker,  you'll  see  that  this  bus'ness 
can't  be  put  through  without  giving  the 
scamps  the  chance  to  swindle  us  the  worst 
sort  of  way.  They  won't  give  up  the  boy  on 
our  promise  to  pay  'em  the  money  and  no 
questions  asked,  for  they  don't  b'leve  we'll  do 
it ;  so  we've  got  to  give  'em  the  money  and 
trust  to  their  honor  to  keep  their  part.  Trust 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  383 

to  their  honor''  repeated  Hank,  with  all  the 
scorn  he  could  throw  into  voice  and  manner ; 
"  as  if  they  knowed  what  it  means." 

"  I  know  from  what  you  have  said  that 
Tozer  and  Motoza  are  cunning,  but " 

In  order  to  receive  all  the  warmth  possible, 
Jack  Dudley  was  sitting  within  the  cavern 
and  facing  outward,  while  his  companion 
faced  him,  with  his  back  toward  the  plateau 
and  mountains  beyond.  Jack  suddenly  broke 
off  his  remark,  for  in  the  gloom  behind  the 
cowman  he  saw  something  move.  That  some 
thing  quickly  took  the  form  of  a  white-faced, 
exhausted  youth  trudging  painfully  forward 
and  ready  to  sink  to  the  ground  with  weak 
ness. 

"  Heavens  !  can  it  be  ?"  gasped  Jack,  half- 
rising  to  his  feet  and  staring  across  the  camp- 
fire.  The  next  moment,  and  while  Hazletine 
was  looking  in  the  same  direction,  as  as 
tounded  as  the  youth,  the  elder  made  one 
bound  and  was  at  the  side  of  Fred  Green 
wood,  whom  he  caught  in  his  arms  as  he 
sagged  downward  in  a  state  of  utter  collapse. 

In  the  course  of  the  following  hour  every- 


384  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

thing  was  made  clear.  Under  the  tender 
ministrations  of  Jack  Dudley  and  Hank 
Hazletine  the  returned  wanderer  recovered 
to  a  great  degree  his  strength,  and  to  the  full 
est  degree  his  naturally  buoyant  spirits.  The 
faint  odor  of  the  broiling  meat  which  lingered 
in  the  air  awoke  his  ravenous  appetite,  but 
knowing  how  long  he  had  been  without  food, 
the  cowman  would  not  permit  him  to  eat  more 
than  a  tithe  of  what  he  craved.  After  a  time 
he  gave  him  more,  until  his  appetite  was  fairly 
well  satisfied. 

"  Jack/'  said  Fred,  with  something  of  his 
old  waggishness,  as  he  looked  across  the  fire 
into  the  face  of  his  comrade,  "  let's  go  home." 

"  You  forget  that  we  have  a  month's  vaca 
tion,  and  it  is  hardly  half  gone.  We  can  stay 
another  week  and  then  be  sure  of  being  back 
to  school  in  time.  You  lamented  more  than 
I  because  we  could  not  have  a  longer  play- 
spell.  Your  sentiments  have  changed." 

The  younger  lad  pointed  to  his  feet. 

"  There's  the  reason.  If  I  were  like  you  I 
shouldn't  think  of  leaving  this  delightful 
country  until  the  last  day;  but  I  shall  need 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED,  385 

all  the  vacation  to  get  on  my  feet  again.     Do 
you  comprehend  ?" 

"Yes;  your  demonstration  is  logical.  True, 
you  have  lost  your  rifle  and  pistol,  the  same  as 
myself,  but  we  could  get  others  at  the  ranch, 
and  no  doubt  meet  with  plenty  more  enjoy 
able  adventures,  but  not  as  you  are.  I  shall 
be  very  willing  to  start  home  with  you  to 
morrow  morning.  What  do  you  think  of  it, 
Hank?" 

"  I'm  blamed  sorry  this  business  has  to 
wind  up  as  it  does,  but  there's  no  help  fur  it, 
and  we'll  leave  fur  the  ranch  after  breakfast." 

"Will  you  keep  your  appointment  with 
Tozer  ?" 

"I've  been  thinking  of  that;  yes,  I'll  meet 
him." 

There  was  a  peculiar  intonation  in  these 
words  that  caused  both  boys  to  look  into  that 
bearded  face,  but  they  could  not  be  sure  of 
his  meaning. 

It  was  Fred  who  spoke : 

"  Hank,  there  is  one  matter  as  to  which  I 
cannot  feel  certain ;  I  want  your  opinion  of 
it." 

25 


386  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"  Wai,  I'm  listening." 

"  After  Motoza  forced  me  into  the  cavern 
at  the  side  of  the  canyon  he  went  off  and  has 
not  returned  yet,  unless  he  did  so  after  I  left. 
Now,  why  didn't  he  go  back  ?" 

"  Why  should  he  go  back  ?  He  felt  sartin 
there  was  no  way  fur  you  to  git  out,  and  if 
I'd  been  told  that  your  only  chance  was  to 
climb  the  wall  I'd  'greed  with  him,  though 
you  struck  the  spot  where  I  done  it  myself." 

"  He  must  have  known  I  hadn't  a  mouth 
ful  of  food?" 

"  He  couldn't  help  knowing  it." 

"  The  question  in  my  mind  is  this :  what 
he  said  to  me,  as  well  as  what  you  have  told, 
proves  that  he  understood  the  whole  scheme 
of  my  being  ransomed.  Tozer  must  have 
known  where  I  was ;  he  knew  that  to  bring 
the  ransom  business  to  a  head  would  require 
several  days,  even  with  the  use  of  the  tele 
graph  ;  they  expected  me  to  stay  in  the  cav 
ern  all  the  time.  How  long  would  they  have 
left  me  there  without  bringing  me  anything 
to  eat?" 

"  They'd  never  brought  you  anything." 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  387 

"Then  when  the  time  came  to  surrender 
me  to  my  friends  I  should  have  been  dead." 

The  cowman  nodded  his  head. 

"  There  ain't  no  doubt  of  that." 

"And  they  couldn't  have  carried  out  their 
part  of  the  agreement." 

"Which  the  same  they  knowed." 

"  But  it  seems  unreasonable.  It  would 
have  placed  both  in  peril,  from  which  I  can 
not  see  how  it  was  possible  for  them  to  escape. 
If  they  gave  me  up  after  receiving  the  money 
they  would  be  safe  against  punishment. 
Why,  then,  should  they  place  themselves  in 
such  great  danger  when  they  had  nothing  to 
gain  and  all  to  lose  by  doing  so?  That  is 
what  I  can't  understand,  and  I  am  sure  my 
brain  has  become  clearer." 

It  was  the  same  view  of  the  question  that 
had  puzzled  Jack  Dudley,  and  the  two  boys 
listened  with  interest  to  the  explanation  of 
the  veteran. 

"Tozer  of  himself  would  turn  you  over 
sound  in  limb  and  body ;  but,  since  it  was  the 
Sioux  who  done  all  the  work,  as  you  have 
showed  us,  Bill  had  to  make  a  sort  of  com- 


388  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

promise  with  the  villain,  and  that  compro 
mise  was  that  you  should  be  left  with  Motoza 
till  the  hour  come  fur  you  to  be  produced. 
That  was  the  price  Bill  had  to  pay  Motoza 
fur  what  he  done.  It  wasn't  Tozer,  but  the 
Sioux,  that  was  fixing  things  so  as  to  starve 
you  to  death. " 

The  cowman  spoke  with  a  deliberation  and 
seriousness  that  left  no  doubt  he  believed 
every  word  uttered,  and  the  boys  were  con 
vinced  he  was  right. 

"  Bill  is  as  mean  as  they  make  'em,"  added 
Hazletine,  "  but  he'd  rather  grab  a  pile  of 
money  than  kill  a  chap  he  don't  like.  It's 
t'other  way  with  the  Sioux.  He  likes  money 
well  'nough,  fur  he  knows  it'll  buy  firewater, 
but  the  sweetest  enjoyment  he  can  have  is  to 
revenge  himself  on  a  person  he  hates,  and 
from  what  I've  heard  he  hates  you  as  hard  as 
he  knows  how." 

"  There  is  no  doubt  of  that,"  said  Jack ; 
"I  shall  never  forget  the  expression  of  his 
face  when  Fred  made  him  give  up  my  rifle." 

Fred  was  thoughtful  a  moment,  and  then 
asked : 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  389 

"  Hank,  what  do  you  mean  to  do  about 
Tozer  ?" 

"  Wai,  until  I  larned  your  story  I  was  fixed 
to  shoot  him  on  sight." 

"  But  what  of  the  agreement  you  would 
have  to  make  before  he  gave  me  up  ?" 

"  I'd  kept  that  the  same  as  the  other  folks, 
but  it  wouldn't  be  long  afore  I'd  git  a  chance 
to  pick  a  quarrel  with  him  over  other  matters, 
and  then  it  would  be  him  or  me ;  and,"  added 
the  cowman,  with  a  grim  smile,  "I  don't 
think  it  would  be  me." 

"  Do  you  still  hold  to  that  resolve  ?" 

"  I  can't  say  that  I  do.  I  don't  see  that 
Bill  meant  any  hurt  except  to  make  some 
money  out  of  you,  and  he  couldn't  help 
taking  chances  on  that.  If  he  could  have 
had  his  way  he'd  turned  you  over  to  us  as 
well  as  when  you  left ;  so  I  think  I'll  wait 
to  see  what  his  next  trick  is  to  be  afore  I 
draw  a  bead  on  him.  I'll  take  another  plan 
— I'll  give  him  the  laugh." 

"  Give  him  the  laugh  !"  repeated  the  won 
dering  Jack  Dudley  ;  "  what  do  you  mean  by 
that?" 


390  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

"I'll  meet  him  here  to-morrer  morning, 
and,  after  we've  talked  a  while,  let  him  see 
you  or  know  how  things  stand,  and  then  I'll 
just  laugh  at  him  till  I  drop  to  the  ground 
and  roll  over  on  my  back.  Won't  he  feel 
cheap?" 

The  conceit  was  so  odd  that  both  boys 
smiled. 

"  That  certainly  is  a  curious  way  to  punish 
a  man  for  doing  a  wrong.  It  seems  to  me 
that,  since  he  had  so  much  to  do  with  abduct 
ing  Fred,  he  ought  to  be  arrested,  tried,  and 
punished.  He  should  be  made  to  suffer  for 
his  crime." 

Hank  showed  his  hard  sense  by  replying : 

"  I  don't  deny  that,  but  there's  no  way  of 
punishing  him.  He  hasn't  done  a  thing  fur 
which  you  could  make  the  court  say  he's 
guilty.  The  younker  there  that  spent  more 
time  than  he  liked  in  the  canyon  has  never 
even  seed  Bill  Tozer.  What  reason,  then, 
has  he  fur  saying  Bill  had  anything  to  do 
with  the  bus'ness?" 

"Didn't  he  admit  as  much  to  you?" 

"  Not  a  word  !     He  give  himself  away  in 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  391 

his  talk,  but  whenever  he  said  anything  'bout 
things  he  reminded  me  it  was  all  guesswork." 

"Could  not  Motoza  be  made  to  swear 
against  him  ?" 

"  He  might,  and  he  might  not.  If  he  did, 
why,  Bill  would  swear  Mother  way,  and  make 
it  look  as  if  he  was  trying  to  play  the  friend 
for  the  younker.  It  would  be  like  some 
folks,  after  the  thing  was  over,  proposing  to 
buy  Bill  a  gold  medal  fur  showing  himself 
such  a  good  and  noble  man.  No ;  my  plan 
is  best.  When  I  give  him  the  laugh  he'll 
feel  worse  than  if  he  was  sent  up  fur  ten 
years." 

"  It  looks  as  if  there  is  no  other  way  of 
punishing  him,"  remarked  Fred ;  "  but  the 
case  is  different  with  Motoza." 

"  Wai,  rather  /" 

It  would  be  impossible  to  convey  a  true 
idea  of  the  manner  of  Hank  Hazeltine  when 
he  uttered  these  words.  He  nodded  his  head, 
clinched  his  free  hand,  and  his  eyes  seemed 
to  flash  fire. 

"Do  you  mean  to  kill  him,  Hank?" 

"0,  no,"  was  the  scornful  response;  "I'm 


392  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

going  to  take  his  hand  and  tell  him  how  much 
I  love  him.  I'll  wipe  the  paint  off  one  cheek, 
so  as  to  make  room  fur  a  brotherly  kiss.  I'll 
send  him  to  your  folks,  that  you  may  have 
him  for  a  playmate.  He'll  be  so  sweet  and 
nice  among  the  little *younkers.  That's  what 
I'll  do  with  dear  Motoza!" 

It  was  impossible  not  to  read  the  terrible 
purpose  that  lay  behind  all  this.  The  boys 
made  no  mistake.  Jack  Dudley  shuddered, 
but  was  silent.  He  knew  the  miscreant 
richly  merited  the  threatened  retribution,  and 
yet  he  wished  it  were  not  impending. 

Surely,  if  anyone  was  justified  in  calling 
down  vengeance  upon  the  head  of  the  vagrant 
Sioux  it  was  his  victim — he  who  had  felt  his 
hatred,  and  whose  physical  sufferings  must 
remind  him  of  the  same  for  weeks  to  come. 
But  Fred  Greenwood  was  in  a  gracious  and 
forgiving  mood.  His  heart  throbbed  when 
he  recalled  what  he  had  so  recently  passed 
through,  but  he  could  not  lose  sight  of  the 
blessed  fact  that  he  had  passed  through  it  all. 
He  was  with  his  beloved  comrade  again,  not 
much  the  worse  for  his  experience.  In  truth 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  393 

he  was  a  little  homesick,  and  was  stirred  with 
sweet  delight  at  the  thought  that,  if  all  went 
well,  he  should  be  with  his  parents  within 
the  coming  week. 

And  yet  he  was  oppressed  by  the  thought 
that  one  of  the  results  of  his  short  visit  to 
Wyoming  was  to  be  the  death  of  a  human 
being.  He  was  sure  he  could  never  shake 
off  the  remembrance,  and  should  he  ever  wish 
to  return  in  the  future  to  renew  his  hunt  un 
der  more  favorable  conditions,  the  memory 
would  haunt  him.  It  mattered  not  that  the 
wretch  deserved  to  be  executed  for  the  crime, 
in  the  commission  of  which  he  had  been  in 
terrupted  before  he  could  complete  it.  He 
was  a  savage,  a  heathen,  a  barbarian,  who  was 
following  the  light  as  he  understood  it.  Why, 
therefore,  should  not  mercy  be  shown  to  him  ? 

There  are  many  things  which  Jack  Dudley 
and  Fred  Greenwood  have  done  during  their 
youthful  lives  that  are  creditable  to  them, 
but  there  is  none  which  gives  the  two  greater 
pleasure  than  the  remembrance  of  the  moral 
victory  gained  in  their  argument  with  Hank 
Hazletine.  Fred  opened  the  plea,  and  his 


394  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

comrade  quickly  rallied  to  his  help.  Their 
aim  was  to  convince  their  guide  that  it  was 
wrong  for  him  to  carry  out  his  purpose  re 
garding  the  Sioux.  That  the  fellow  should 
be  punished  was  not  to  be  questioned,  but  it 
should  be  done  in  a  legitimate  way  and  by  the 
constituted  authorities.  Hazletine  insisted  that 
the  conditions  were  such  that  Motoza  would 
never  be  thus  punished,  at  least  not  to  the  ex 
tent  he  ought  to  be ;  therefore,  it  was  the  duty 
of  Hazletine  to  attend  to  the  matter  himself. 
The  argument  lasted  for  two  hours.  The 
boys  were  able,  bright  and  ingenious,  but  they 
had  truth  on  their  side,  and  by  and  by  the 
grim  cowman  showed  signs  of  weakening. 
What  knocked  the  props  from  under  him 
was  the  fact  which  he  was  compelled  to  admit 
that  the  Sioux  was  only  following  the  teach 
ings  he  had  received  from  infancy ;  that  he 
lacked  the  light  and  knowledge  with  which 
Hazletine  had  been  favored  ;  that  it  was  the 
duty  of  the  white  people  to  educate,  civilize 
and  Christianize  the  red  men,  who  have  been 
treated  with  cruel  injustice  from  the  very  dis 
covery  of  our  country. 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  395 

It  cannot  be  said  that  the  guide  yielded 
with  good  grace,  but  yield  he  did,  and  the 
victory  was  secured.  He  pledged  the  boys 
not  to  offer  any  harm  to  Motoza  for  his  last 
crime,  and  indeed  would  never  harm  him,  un 
less  it  should  become  necessary  in  self-defence. 

"But  I  s'pose  you  hain't  any  'bjection  to 
my  giving  the  laugh  to  Bill  ?"  he  said,  with 
ludicrous  dismay;  "there  ain't  nothing  wrong 
in  that,  is  there?" 

"  Nothing  at  all,"  replied  the  pleased  Fred; 
"we  shall  enjoy  it  as  much  as  you." 

"  Which  the  same  being  the  case,  it's  time 
you  went  to  sleep ;  I'll  keep  watch  and  call 
you  when  I  git  ready." 

Bidding  their  friend  good-night,  the  boys 
wrapped  themselves  in  their  blankets  and 
speedily  sank  into  slumber. 

The  kind-hearted  guide  did  not  disturb 
either,  and  when  they  opened  their  eyes  the 
sun  was  in  the  sky.  Fred  Greenwood  was  in 
a  bad  shape  with  his  swollen  and  lacerated 
feet,  but  his  naturally  rugged  frame  recovered 
rapidly  from  the  trying  strain  to  which  it  had 
been  subjected.  He  proved  that  his  appetite 


396  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

was  as  vigorous  as  ever,  and  was  eager  to 
reach  the  ranch  with  the  least  possible  de 
lay.  Hank  promised  him  no  time  should  be 
wasted. 

A  lookout  was  kept  for  Bill  Tozer,  the  boys 
remaining  in  the  cavern,  where  they  could  not 
be  seen.  There  was  the  possibility,  of  course, 
that  the  man  had  learned  of  the  escape  of  the 
young  prisoner,  but  all  doubt  was  removed 
when,  at  the  appointed  time,  he  appeared  on 
the  edge  of  the  plateau  and  strode  confidently 
to  the  point  where  Hazletine,  just  outside  the 
cavern,  awaited  his  coming. 

The  two  shook  hands  and  immediately  got 
down  to  business.  The  scamp  felt  that  he 
commanded  the  situation  and  he  was  disposed 
to  push  matters. 

"  I've  been  thinking  over  what  you  said 
yesterday,"  remarked  the  guide,  "and  have 
made  up  my  mind  that  I  can't  do  it." 

"  You  can't,  eh  ?  It's  the  only  thing  you 
can  do ;  Motoza  insists  that  the  price  shall  be 
ten  thousand  dollars,  but  I'll  stick  by  the 
original  agreement  and  call  it  half  that  sum." 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  the  cowman,  thought- 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  397 

fully;  "you  promise  to  give  us  back  the 
younker  safe  and  sound,  provided  his  friends 
hand  you  five  thousand  dollars?" 

"That's  it;  you  understand  the  whole  busi 
ness.  You  know,  of  course,  Hank,  that  I'm 
only  acting  as  the  friend " 

"Don't  git  over  any  more  of  that  stuff, 
Bill.  Are  we  to  give  you  the  money  afore 
you  produce  the  younker  ?" 

"Certainly;  that's  the  only  way  to  do  busi 


ness." 


"S'pose  you  bring  him,  and  then  I'll  ask 
his  folks  if  they  want  to  make  you  a  present 
of  five  thousand  dollars — how'll  that  work  ?" 

Tozer  broke  into  laughter. 

"You  ought  to  be  ashamed  to  talk  such 
nonsense.  The  only  way  by  which  you  can 
see  your  young  friend  again  is  to  hand  us  the 
money,  give  a  pledge  not  to  ask  any  questions 
or  try  to  punish  Motoza  or  me " 

The  jaw  of  the  man  suddenly  dropped  and 
he  ceased  speaking,  for  at  that  moment  he  saw 
Jack  Dudley  and  his  limping  companion 
walk  out  from  the  cavern  and  smilingly  ap 
proach. 


398  TWO  BOYS  IN  WYOMING. 

The  whole  truth  flashed  upon  him.  He 
was  outwitted  as  he  had  never  been  outwitted 
before  in  all  his  life.  Without  speaking  a 
syllable,  he  wheeled  around  and  started  at  a 
rapid  stride  across  the  plateau  toward  the 
point  where  he  had  first  appeared,  with  feel 
ings  which  it  is  impossible  to  imagine. 

And  didn't  Hank  Hazletine  "give  him  the 
laugh?"  He  bent  over  with  mirth,  stagger- 
in  "•  backward  until  he  had  to  place  his  hand 

O  A 

against  the  side  of  the  cavern  to  save  himself 

o 

from  falling.  It  really  seemed  as  if  his  up 
roarious  mirth  must  have  penetrated  a  mile 
in  every  direction,  and  it  did  not  cease  until 
some  minutes  after  the  discomfited  victim  had 
disappeared.  Jack  and  Fred  laughed,  too, 
until  their  sides  ached ;  and  who  shall  deny 
that  there  was  not  full  cause  for  their  merri 
ment? 

An  hour  later,  the  ponies,  saddled  and 
bridled,  were  threading  their  way  out  of  the 
foot-hills  for  the  ranch,  which  was  reached 
without  further  incident.  There  the  boys  re 
mained  several  days  until  Fred  had  recovered 
to  a  large  extent  from  his  hurts,  when  they 


HOW  IT  ALL  ENDED.  399 

rode  to  the  station  at  Fort  Steele,  where  they 
shook  hands  with  the  honest  Hank  Hazletine 
and  bade  him  good-by. 

And  thus  it  came  about  that  on  the  first 
Monday  in  the  following  November  Jack 
Dudley  and  Fred  Greenwood  were  in  their 
respective  seats  at  school,  as  eager  and  am 
bitious  to  press  their  studies  as  they  had  been 
to  visit  Bowman's  ranch,  in  Southwestern 
Wyoming,  in  which  ranch,  by  the  way,  they 
advised  Mr.  Dudley  to  retain  his  half-owner 
ship. 

"  It's  worth  all  it  cost  you,  father, "  said 
Jack,  "  and  perhaps  one  of  these  days  you 
will  want  the  V.  W.  W.  to  go  out  and  take 
another  look  at  it." 

"  Perhaps,"  was  the  dubious  reply  of  the 
parent. 


RETURN     CIRCULATION  DEPARTMENT 

202  Main  Library 


_:-\  :E:  3:  • 
HOME  USE 

:                       3 

4 

5                                6 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 
1  -month  loans  may  be  rcfteiwi  by  colling  642-3405 
6-month  loans  may  be  recharged  fay  bringing  books  to  Circulation  Desk 

-   -    - 

DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 

MUU  1  1  lyui 

nC.Ctt.JIL2  5  W 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 
FORM  NO.  DD6,  60m,  3/80  BERKELEY,  CA  94720 


U.  C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


Hill  Hill 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


